Factors affecting xerostomia among community residents participating in a long-term care-prevention workshop: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the influence of selected background characteristics of community residents who participated in a long-term care-prevention workshop on the presence and severity of xerostomia symptoms.

Methods: Of 1,893 participants across 12 nursing care prevention workshops, 1,137 participants gave written consent to participate in the survey. A self-administered questionnaire regarding the mouth dryness index was administered. The main survey items were background characteristics of the participants and the Xerostomia Inventory (XI).

Results: Factors found to affect oral dryness were age, medication use, sleep quality, constipation, and the use of dentures. Xerostomia was also found to significantly influence quality of life.

Conclusions: When organizing long-term care-prevention workshops aimed at improving oral function, the background characteristics of participants should be taken into consideration.