Abstract
Objective: Oral frailty refers to a slight decline in oral function and has been revealed as a potential predictor of frailty, sarcopenia, and the need for nursing care in older adults. Oral frailty sis reversible if preventive interventions are implemented at the right time to restore function. In Japan, measures against oral frailty, often among older adults, are carried out at community comprehensive support centers by medical, nursing, and welfare professionals (interprofessionals) other than dental professionals. Therefore, we considered the development of an oral frailty assessment index that can be evaluated by medical, nursing, and welfare professionals other than dental professionals. In this study, as the first step, we examined assessment items for oral frailty that can be used by interprofessionals, based on a survey conducted using the Delphi method with nurses certified in dysphagia nursing.
Subjects and Methods: Based on Levels 1–3 of the Oral Frailty Conceptual Chart (2019), evaluation items were extracted from relevant papers and sources. A total of 88 items were selected as the initial survey items for the Delphi method, categorized as follows: Level 1: 10 items, Level 2: 50 items, and Level 3: 28 items. These items were reviewed during the research period. Two rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted to assess the necessity of each item for oral frailty evaluation by interprofessionals. The participants were nurses certified in dysphagia nursing across Japan, and consensus was defined as a consent rate 80%.
Results: The number of participants in the first survey was 240 (response rate: 26.7%), and 120 (response rate: 48.7%) in the second survey. Finally, the oral frailty assessment items were reduced to 68 from the original 88 items.
Conclusion: The assessment items carefully selected for oral frailty in this study were comprehensive and multifaceted, reflecting the key characteristics of oral frailty. These results will be useful for oral frailty assessment by professionals other than dental professionals.
