Abstract Introduction This study aimed to assess the prevalence of edentulism and tooth loss in the Slovenian elderly population, along with the associated risk factors, and investigate the ...association between systemic and oral health. Methods The study included 445 individuals aged 65 or older (average age: 79.7±8.9 years). Data on preserved teeth, dental history, chronic diseases, and medications were collected through clinical examinations. Height and weight were recorded in order to calculate body mass index (BMI), and the education level was also collected. Chronic systemic diseases and medications were categorized. Statistical analysis was conducted using linear regression and nonparametric tests. Results Participants had an average of 4.7±7.7 teeth, with no significant gender differences. Higher age (β=−0.185, p<0.001) and lower education level (p<0.001) were associated with fewer teeth, while higher BMI showed no correlation (β=−0.085, p=0.325). Diabetes mellitus (p=0.031), cardiovascular diseases (p=0.025), and thyroid diseases (p=0.043) were inversely related to retained teeth. This inverse relationship also applied to individuals who recovered from malignancies, not including head and neck malignancies (p=0.019). No significant relationship was found between osteoporosis and the number of teeth (p=0.573). Notably, antidiabetic drug use was inversely related to the number of teeth (p=0.004), while analgesics showed a positive relationship (p=0.022). Conclusions This study highlights the association between specific sociodemographic factors, chronic diseases, and retained teeth among elderly individuals in Slovenia. High edentulism rates among the elderly emphasize the need for enhanced preventive measures and risk factor management, particularly for high-risk groups like the elderly.
Abstract Introduction Arterial hypertension (AH) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) represent a significant burden for the public health system, with an exceptionally high prevalence in patients aged ≥65 ...years. This study aims to test the acceptability, clinical effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring in elderly patients with AH and T2D at the primary care level. Methods A m ulti-centre, prospective, randomized, controlled t rial w ill be conducted. Patients a ged ≥ 65 y ears with AH and T2D will be randomized in a 1:1 proportion to a mHealth intervention or standard care group. Patients in the intervention group will measure their blood pressure (BP) twice weekly and blood glucose (BG) once monthly. The readings will be synchronously transmitted via a mobile application to the telemonitoring platform, where they will be reviewed by a general practitioner who will indicate changes in measurement regimen or carry out a teleconsultation. The primary endpoint will be a change in systolic BP (SBP) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) relative to standard care up to 12 months after inclusion. Secondary endpoints will be a change in other observed clinical variables, quality-of-life indexes, and costs. Expected results Telemonitoring will be an acceptable method of care associated with significant reductions in SBP and HbA1c levels and an increase in quality-of-life indexes in the intervention group. However, the cost-effectiveness threshold (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below €25,000/quality-adjusted life year) might not be reached. Conclusion This study will provide new evidence for scaling up telemonitoring network at the primary care level and modifying telemonitoring protocols to achieve the best clinical and cost-effective outcomes.
The increase in the elderly population is causing changes and challenges that demand a comprehensive public health response. A specific characteristic of the elderly is their frailty. Today's ...problems with identifying levels of frailty are being resolved by numerous tools in the form of frailty assessment scales. This systematic review establishes which frailty assessment scales for the elderly are being used and what their applicability in primary care is like in Slovenia and around the world.
Documents published after 2010 were searched for in the PubMed database using keywords and other specific criteria.
A total of 177 search hits were obtained based on various search strings. The final analysis included 28 articles, of which three were systematic literature reviews. These three covered quantitative studies, mainly consisting of observational cross-sectional surveys or cohort studies. Three other studies featured non-systematic literature reviews. Quantitative studies (mainly cross-sectional surveys or cohort studies) prevailed among the remaining 22 articles. One study had a qualitative design (Delphi method). The main outcome measures observed by all studies were frailty assessment scales for the elderly, the majority of which were evaluated on a sample of the elderly.
None of the assessment scales examined are used as the gold standard for primary care. A variety of tools are being used in clinical practice to assess frailty in elderly patients, highlighting the need for standardization and guidelines. This requires evaluating the current assessment scales in terms of validity and reliability, and suitably improving them.
Anticholinergic burden in older adults has been correlated with cognitive decline, delirium, dizziness and confusion, falls and hospitalisations. Nevertheless, anticholinergic-acting medications ...remain commonly prescribed in up to a third of older adults in primary care population. Our aim was to study the anticholinergic burden in older adults in Slovenian ambulatory setting and explore the most commonly involved medications which could be avoided by the physicians.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in 30 general practices in Slovenia as part of a larger trial. Data on prescribed medications were collected for randomly chosen adults of over 65 years of age visiting general practice, who were taking at least one regularly prescribed medication. Anticholinergic burden was calculated using Duran's scale and Drug Burden Index.
Altogether, 622 patients were included, 356 (57.2%) female, average age of 77.2 (±6.2), with an average of 5.6 medications. At least one anticholinergic medication was present in 78 (12.5 %) patients. More than half (N=41, 52.6%) of anticholinergic prescriptions were psychotropic medications. Most common individual medications were diazepam (N=10, 1.6%), quetiapine (N=9, 1.4%) and ranitidine (N=8, 1.3%).
Though the prevalence of anticholinergic medications was low compared to international research, the most commonly registered anticholinergic prescriptions were medications that should be avoided according to guidelines of elderly prescriptions. It would be probably clinically feasible to further decrease the anticholinergic burden of older adults in Slovenian primary care setting by avoiding or replacing these medications with safer alternatives.
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Izobraževanje odraslih oziroma tretja univerza; starejši s slikami, roka barva s tempera barvi, slike, izjava ...Nataša Ribič - akademska slikarka, izjava Pavle Kegel - slikarska sekcija, slike, starejši pri pouku, izjava Gertruda Kostanjšek - profesorica za nemški jezik, izjava Franci Gubar - sekcija za nemški jezik, izjava Angelca Žiberna - sekcija za nemški jezik, pouk nemščine - učiteljica govori nemške besede, izjava Alijana Šantelj - andragoginja, izjava Rozalija Žbontar - sekcija za nemški jezik, odrasli v nemščini pojejo Happy Birthday.
Adult education, presenting seniors activities like painting with tempera, paintings; statement by Nataša Ribič - academic painter, Pavle Kegel - painting department, paintings, seniors at class; a statement by Gertruda Kostanjšek - professor of the German language, Franci Gubar - department for the German language, a statement by Angelca Žiberna - Section of the German language, German language courses - teacher speak and articulates German words, a statement by Alijana Šantelj - pedagogue for adult education and by Rozalija Žbontar department of the German language.- Information:- Adult education - third university.- Original language summary:
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