2010 Volume 60 Issue 5 Pages 575-583
Objective: One of the main causes of subjective oral dryness in the elderly is the side effects of medication. In addition, the elderly's tolerance to stress is low, and stress may induce many symptoms including mouth dryness. Thus, it is necessary to examine their psychological well-being. However, few reports have considered the relationship between subjective oral dryness and psychological well-being. Furthermore, few reports have examined subjective oral dryness, medication use, and psychological well-being simultaneously. The purpose of this study was to investigate the rate of subjective oral dryness and effects of psychological well-being and medication in the elderly. Methods: A questionnaire survey and interview concerning subjective oral dryness, medication use, and psychological symptoms were conducted involving 398 elderly aged 77-78 years old in Japan. The rates of the side effect of subjective oral dryness caused by medication and drug efficacy were investigated using the book 'Drugs in Japan'. The Japanese version of a general health questionnaire (GHQ 30), a self-entry type questionnaire, was used to evaluate psychological well-being. The elderly with scores greater than 7 points were defined as having psychological symptoms. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of medication and psychological well-being on the subjective oral dryness. Results: Overall, 60.4%, reported dryness of the mouth, 27.6% had psychological symptoms, and 72.3% were prescribed medication. The mode number of medications was 2.0. On logistic regression analysis, significant relationships were noted for psychological symptoms (odds ratio: 2.059, p<0.05) and the frequency of medication (odds ratio: 2.552, p<0.05). Psychological symptoms appear to be the main factor related to subjective oral dryness as a side effect of medication in the elderly.
