OBJECTS This study aimed to determine the association between annual medical expenses and oral frailty in later-stage older adults (aged ≥ 75 years). No studies have investigated the association between medical costs and oral frailty, which would elucidate the association between oral frailty and the deterioration of mental and overall physical function. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 2190 adults (860 men and 1330 women aged 75-94 years) covered by the Medical System for the Elderly and residing in Tottori Prefecture, Japan, between April 2016 and March 2019, were included. Participants were classified into three groups: healthy, pre-orally frail or orally frail, based on dental health screening findings. The medical and dental expenses over the years, number of days of consultations and comorbidities were obtained from the Japanese Health Insurance Claims Database. RESULTS The number of days of medical and dental consultations and annual medical expenses for outpatient care differed among the three study groups. A significant association was observed between oral frailty and high annual expenses for outpatient medical and dental care. Oral frailty was associated with higher medical expenses in participants with poor masticatory function. Higher and lower dental expenses were associated with subjective poor masticatory function and subjective impairment of swallowing function respectively. CONCLUSION Medical and dental expenses for orally frail older adults are high, indicating that oral frailty may be related to the occurrence and severity of diseases other than oral health issues. Future studies should examine the mechanism by which oral weakness affects physical and mental functions.

中文翻译：

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日本老年人口腔脆弱与医疗支出的关系：鸟取县晚期老年人的研究（START Tottori）。


目的 本研究旨在确定后期老年人（年龄 ≥ 75 岁）的年度医疗费用与口腔脆弱之间的关联。尚无研究调查医疗费用与口腔脆弱之间的关联，从而阐明口腔脆弱与精神和整体身体功能恶化之间的关联。材料和方法在这项横断面研究中，纳入了 2016 年 4 月至 2019 年 3 月期间居住在日本鸟取县、享受老年人医疗系统覆盖的 2190 名成年人（860 名男性和 1330 名女性，年龄为 75-94 岁）。根据牙齿健康筛查结果，参与者被分为三组：健康组、口腔前脆弱组或口腔脆弱组。历年来的医疗和牙科费用、就诊天数和合并症均来自日本健康保险索赔数据库。结果三个研究组的医疗和牙科咨询天数以及门诊护理的年度医疗费用有所不同。研究发现，口腔脆弱与每年门诊医疗和牙科护理的高额费用之间存在显着关联。咀嚼功能较差的参与者的口腔脆弱与较高的医疗费用相关。较高和较低的牙科费用分别与主观咀嚼功能不良和吞咽功能主观损伤相关。结论 口腔脆弱老年人的医疗和牙科费用较高，表明口腔脆弱可能与口腔健康问题以外的疾病的发生和严重程度有关。未来的研究应该探讨口腔无力影响身体和心理功能的机制。