Abstract
Pneumonia is a common sickness in the elderly. Oral care in institutions reduces pneumonia and influenza infections in the elderly. Institutions that provide oral care are increasing in Japan. This study surveyed factors associated with the incidence of a fever and pneumonia in long-term care insurance institutions in the central region of Hokkaido prefecture. The study subjects were 200 elderly people who received basic oral care, and 254 elderly people who received more advanced oral care in institutions. The survey items were the age, sex, height, weight, number of days with a fever more than or equal to 37℃, any incidence of pneumonia, number of days in the hospital due to pneumonia, any incidence of influenza, number of days in the hospital due to influenza, any influenza vaccination, any pneumococcal vaccination, and the food intake status. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of variables related to the incidence of fever and pneumonia were evaluated using the unconditional logistic regression model. The results of multivariate analysis were as follows: Tubal feeding (OR=19.33, 95%CI: 6.94-53.86), the intake of soft food (OR=2.16, 95%CI: 1.34-3.49), and having no pneumococcal vaccination (OR=0.57, 95%CI: 0.36-0.92) were significantly associated with the risk of a fever. Being aged 91 years or more (OR=6.57, 95%CI: 1.36-31.70), having a BMI of less than 18.5 (OR=2.94, 95%CI: 1.18-7.33), having complications of cancer (OR=3.93, 95%CI: 1.09-14.2), tubal feeding (OR=5.35, 95%CI: 1.07-26.75), and having no pneumococcal vaccination (OR=0.21, 95%CI: 0.07-0.67) were significantly associated with the risk of pneumonia. The content of oral care by professional caregivers and nurses was not associated with the risk of a fever and pneumonia.
This study suggests that elderly people in long-term care insurance institutions with tubal feeding are likely to have a fever and pneumonia.
