Version 1
: Received: 13 July 2024 / Approved: 15 July 2024 / Online: 19 July 2024 (10:29:37 CEST)
How to cite:
Mariño, R.; Glenister, K.; Bourke, L.; Simmons, D. Prevalence of General Health Diseases and Conditions Among Rural Adults. Preprints2024, 2024071581. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1581.v1
Mariño, R.; Glenister, K.; Bourke, L.; Simmons, D. Prevalence of General Health Diseases and Conditions Among Rural Adults. Preprints 2024, 2024071581. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1581.v1
Mariño, R.; Glenister, K.; Bourke, L.; Simmons, D. Prevalence of General Health Diseases and Conditions Among Rural Adults. Preprints2024, 2024071581. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1581.v1
APA Style
Mariño, R., Glenister, K., Bourke, L., & Simmons, D. (2024). Prevalence of General Health Diseases and Conditions Among Rural Adults. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1581.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Mariño, R., Lisa Bourke and David Simmons. 2024 "Prevalence of General Health Diseases and Conditions Among Rural Adults" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202407.1581.v1
Abstract
(1) Background: a study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of chronic diseases and health conditions that affect oral health and oral health self-care among independent living older adults in rural areas of Victoria, Australia; (2) Methods: The study analysed data from the Crossroads-II project, with a total of 1407 participants aged 55 years and older. Participants self-completed questionnaires about health conditions, service use, and demographics. 572 attended a 2-hour health screening that included an assessment of prescribed medications; (3) Results: Most participants were female (55.3%), with a mean age of 69.1 (SD=9.2) years. Participants had a high prevalence of medical conditions, the most common were high blood pressure, arthritis, high lipids, hearing loss, and chronic pain. Almost all participants reported taking medications, with an average of 4.3 medications per person. Among those who attended the health screening, 78.1% were taking medications that could cause xerostomia (dry mouth); (4) Conclusions: This study provides initial information on the prevalence of medical conditions, medication usage, with potential impact on oral health of older adults living in rural Victoria. This information would be valuable for healthcare and dental workforce planning, policy development, and improving the overall well-being of this population.
Medicine and Pharmacology, Dentistry and Oral Surgery
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.