10.1177/1056789514562152

Vollständiger Abstract

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This study examined the association between life functioning and oral functional problems among Korean adults aged ≥65 years and assessed whether health literacy serves as an explanatory factor in this association. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using nationally representative data from 1,698 participants in the 2024 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Life functioning was measured using the Life Functioning Scale-10 (LFS-10), with higher scores indicating better functioning. Oral functional problems were assessed using self-reported chewing and speaking difficulty items, with higher scores indicating poorer oral function. Health literacy was measured using the 10-item Health Literacy Index for the Community. Survey-weighted linear regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and comorbidities, and cross-sectional explanatory associations were evaluated using complex-sample hierarchical regression. Participants with low LFS-10 scores reported greater oral functional problems than those with high scores (4.66 vs 3.89). In adjusted models, LFS-10 scores were inversely associated with oral functional problems (B = -0.050; p = 0.006) and positively associated with health literacy (B = 0.159; p < 0.001). After health literacy was added to the model, the coefficient for LFS-10 was modestly attenuated but remained statistically significant (B = -0.043; p = 0.016), while health literacy was inversely associated with oral functional problems (B = -0.050; p = 0.013). The attenuation was approximately 14%, with a small increase in explained variance (ΔR² = 0.009). These findings indicate that lower life functioning is associated with greater oral functional problems and that health literacy modestly explains this association; however, causality cannot be inferred because of the cross-sectional study design.

Abstract: PubMed · Datensatz