| Abstract [eng] |
Relevance of the problem and aim of the work: As the population ages, more elderly reside in social care homes. They are prone to oral candidiasis due to systemic illnesses or prescribed medications. Understanding prevalence and risk factors of oral candidiasis in this population remains limited. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of oral candidiasis and risk factors among seniors in nursing homes. Material and the methods: A pilot cross-sectional study was conducted at the special social care home "Tremtiniu namai" with seniors who met the inclusion criteria, signed an informed consent form and underwent interviews regarding their health status. An oral examination was conducted, and tongue swabs were taken for cytopathological examination. Analysis was performed using SPSS 28.0 with significance level set at p<0.05. Results: 52 seniors aged from 69 to 100 participated. Women comprised 61.54% (n=32) and men - 38.46% (n=20). Candida hyphae were identified in 24 tongue swabs, constituting the (+) Candida group (p=0.579). Among this group, 20 participants wore removable dentures (p=0.070), with denture use averaging 6.5 years (p=0.040). Dry mouth was observed in 19 (+) Candida participants (p=0.008). All seniors within the (+) Candida group reported having at least one systemic disease and used xerogenic drugs (p>0.05). Conclusions: 46.15% of subjects had oral candidiasis (p=0.579). Risk factors included dry mouth (p=0.008) and period (in years) of denture use (p=0.040). No significant links were found with systemic diseases or use of xerogenic drugs. Keywords: Oral Candidiasis, Nursing Homes, Denture Wearers, Gerodontology. |
