Regional difference and personal and environmental factors of oral health in older people aiming at policy intervention

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H03018
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57080:Social dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Kanagawa Dental College
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Tatsuo 神奈川歯科大学, 大学院歯学研究科, 教授 (20252984)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 近藤 克則 千葉大学, 予防医学センター, 教授 (20298558) ; 相田 潤 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 准教授 (80463777)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 歯科口腔保健 / 高齢者 / 地域差 / 個人要因 / 環境要因 / 歯数 / 口腔機能 / 歯科保健行動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Changes in regional differences in oral health status (number of teeth and oral function (decline of chewing function, swallowing difficulty and thirst)) and dental health behavior (dental visit due to treatment and check-ups), as well as environmental factors associated with the regional differences, were examined by adding a new 2019 survey using the self-administered questionnaire survey to those conducted every three years since 2010 among older people in 15 municipalities in Japan. In addition, regional differences in periodontitis (severe periodontal disease) were newly investigated. The results showed that regional differences in oral health status including periodontitis and dental health behavior existed and tended to increase over time, and that regional differences were related to the degree of urbanization and social capital (the strength of ties between people) even when individual factors were taken into account.

Free Research Field

社会歯科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

小児における口腔の健康状態の地域差は知られているが、成人においては調査のするための法的基盤がなかった。本研究において共通の指標で複数の自治体の高齢者を調査することによって、初めて成人の口腔の健康状態の地域差の実態と差が経年的に拡大していることが明らかになった。この結果は、国が進めている健康格差縮小対策に通じるものであり、歯科保健政策を立案するための重要な情報となる。また、成人の口腔の健康状態の地域差に都市度やソーシャル・キャピタル等の環境要因が関連することも明らかになり、これは今後の成人の歯科保健政策を進めるに当たってターゲットとする地域の特定や介入方法の検討に重要な示唆を与えるものである。