Temporal trends and the association between self-rated oral health and falls in community-dwelling older adults in South Korea: a secondary analysis of survey data

Objective This study aims to examine temporal trends and the association between falls and self-rated oral health (SROH) status in community-dwelling older Korean adults. Design Secondary analysis of a serial cross-sectional study. Methods We analysed biennial data from 314 846 older adults in South Korea from 2011 to 2019 using data from the Korea Community Health Survey. Self-reported fall experience data came from the injury questionnaire question, 'Have you fallen in the past year (slipping, tripping, stumbling and falling)?'. For SROH, the participants were asked, 'How do you feel about your oral health, such as teeth and gums, in your own opinion?'. The association between SROH and falls was examined using a weighted multivariable logistic regression model adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, health status and behaviours, and psychological factors. Results Those who reported poor SROH had a lower declining slope than the other groups, although all groups showed a significantly decreasing trend in both men and women from 2011 to 2019 (p for trend<0.001). Older adults who reported having poor SROH had a more significant history of fall accidents than the good SROH groups, controlling for potential confounding variables (adjusted OR 1.16 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.21) in men; adjusted OR 1.17 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.21) in women). Conclusions Older adults with poor SROH, especially women, had more fall accidents, making them a priority target for fall prevention strategies. This study suggests considering SROH status when identifying fall risk factors in community-dwelling older adults.