Relationship between Masticatory Disability and 9-Year Mortality in a Cohort of Elderly People

Abstract

To examine the relationship between masticatory disability and mortality in a communityresiding elderly population, 1, 245. randomly selected people aged 65 years and older were following over 9 year period (398 deceased and 847 alive) . Data on health status as indicated by disability scores, history of health management, psychosocial conditions were collected at the time of enrollment. As for the association between masticatory disability and mortality, the estimated survival rate for those with masticatory disability was lower than that for those without for each group stratified by sex and age groups and the equality of survival curves according to masticatory disability was significant for each group. After controlling for potential predictors of mortality, masticatory disability remained as a significant predictor for mortality.