Abstract
Although eating independence is important for older adults who require long-term care, the overall relationship between eating independence and oral condition, nursing care level, and rating of dementia remains unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between eating independence and nursing care level, independence level due to dementia (rating of dementia), occlusal status, and dysphagia diet code among 238 residents of three long-term care facility in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Age, sex, nursing care levels, rating of dementia, eating independence, number of teeth, molar occlusion, and dysphagia diet code were assessed. Eating independence was categorized into three groups: independence, partial assistance, and total assistance. Multiple regression analysis showed that nursing care level (standardization coefficient (β) = 0.243, p < 0.001, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.128–0.366), rating of dementia (β = 0.159, p = 0.006, 95% CI: 0.025–0.144), and dysphagia diet code (β = -0.345, p < 0.001, 95% CI: -0.371–-0.186) were significantly associated with eating independence among long-term care facility residents. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate these relationships.
