Assessment of Oral Health-related Quality of Life and Nutritional Status in Institutionalized Elderly Goan Population: A Descriptive, Cross-sectional Study

Background:The geriatric population is continuously at risk for nutritional deficiency and malnutrition, especially in developing countries like India. The aim of this study was to determine if the oral health-related quality of life is associated with malnutrition among the institutionalized elderly Goan population.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among the institutionalized elderly in Goa. The elderly was assessed by a 12-item Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) questionnaire and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data using the SPSS version 21.Results:There were 102 elderly participants, of which 60.8% were females. The majority of study subjects (83%) were between the age group of 65 and 74 years. Among the assessed subjects, nearly 55.9% of them had a total score of GOHAI between 12 and 57 which was categorized as "needed dental care." As per MNA, 32.4% had adequate nutrition, 65.7% were at risk of malnutrition, and the remaining 2% of subjects were malnourished. There was a significant correlation between GOHAI and MNA scores.Conclusion:In the elderly, nutritional status played a significant role in the oral health quality of life. The geriatric denture population is particularly vulnerable to compromised nutritional health.