ArticleBMC public health2025
Factors associated with subjective oral health among older adults aged 65 and over living alone: the role of social capital.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Association of Social Support With Oral Health in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Gerodontology · 2026Pooled it
- Frailty and oral health among middle-aged and older adults: findings from the English longitudinal study of ageing.BMC oral health · 2026Article
- Association between oral health care behaviors and subjective oral health status among Korean older adults: a national study using community health survey data.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundWith the global increase in the number of older adults and single-person households, attention is increasingly being directed toward older adults living alone as a vulnerable population in public health. These individuals are particularly susceptible to deficiencies in social capital, one of the key social determinants of health. However, research on the relationship between social capital and oral health among older adults living alone remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the factors associated with oral health in this population, with a specific focus on social capital.
methodsThis study analyzed data from the Korean Community Health Survey, 2023, focusing on 21,677 older adults aged 65 and over living alone. The dependent variable was subjective oral health level, while independent variables included social capital factors such as trust, reciprocity, social network, and social participation. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between social capital and subjective oral health levels, with results presented as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.
resultsOlder adults aged 65 and over living alone were found to be particularly vulnerable to poor subjective oral health, especially those with older age, lower educational attainment, lower income levels, lack of economic activity, and residence in rural areas. Among the social capital variables, the analysis showed that individuals without reciprocity had 1.30 times higher odds of worse subjective oral health compared to those with reciprocity (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.18-1.42). Similarly, individuals without social participation had 1.31 times higher odds of worse subjective oral health compared to those with social participation (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.21-1.42).
conclusionsSocial capital is significantly associated with the subjective oral health levels of older adults aged 65 and over living alone. This emphasizes the importance of enhancing social capital to mitigate oral health inequalities among socially vulnerable older adults living alone.
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