Turkish Adaptation of the Frailty Index for Elders: A Methodologic Study.

Background and Purpose: Frailty is an important problem in the aging process and can be prevented or delayed when detected at an early stage. Therefore, appropriate measurement tools are needed to determine frailty. The study aimed to adapt the Frailty Index for Elders (FIFE) into Turkish.Methods: Data were collected from 300 older individuals between January and April 2023. Rasch analysis was used to evaluate the construct validity. The KR-20 reliability coefficient of the factor items was evaluated and interpreted for internal consistency.Results: The reliability coefficient of the scale was .98, item separation (item separation index) was 7.62, and item reliability was .98. The content validity, based on the opinions of seven experts, was found as .85. In general, the relationship between the total scores of the individuals in the first application and the scores of the individuals in the second application was .92.Conclusions: It was concluded that the seven-item single-factor FIFE was a valid and reliable tool to measure the frailty of older individuals living in Turkey.

The relationship and affecting factors between oral health and frailty in the older people: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the connection between oral health and frailty in older people and to determine the affecting factors. DESIGN: The research was a community-based cross-sectional study. SAMPLE: A Family Health Center conducted a study on 321 older people. MEASUREMENTS: Data were collected face-to-face using the Personal Information Form, Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index, and Edmonton Frailty Scale. Factors affecting oral health and frailty were examined using the MANOVA test and the relationship between them was examined using Pearson's correlation test. RESULTS: It was determined that 52.6% of the participants had poor oral health and 56.1% had different levels of frailty. Education was effective on the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index scale score. The presence of chronic disease, frequency of tooth/denture brushing, age, education, and sex were effective on the Edmonton Frailty Scale. When the partial eta square values were examined, it was determined that the variable that had the highest impact on the GOHAI and EFS scale scores was educational status. It was determined that there was a significant negative relationship between participants' oral health and frailty scores (r = -0.539, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that more than half of the older individuals included in the study had poor subjective oral health and varying levels of frailty. The influencing factors were determined through multivariate advanced analysis. This relationship and affecting factors are important in providing appropriate early detection and care to older people.

Attitudes towards vaccination among parents of children aged 0-5 years: A scale development study.

BACKGROUND: Vaccination is the most important public health practice for preventing infectious diseases and maintaining health. However, some parents are hesitant to vaccinate their children. DESIGN: This study was designed as an instrument development study. METHODS: This study aimed to develop a scale to measure the attitudes of parents with children aged 0-5 years towards vaccination and to evaluate the validity and reliability of this scale. The data were collected from 691 participants between November 2020 and January 2021. During the development of the scale, experts provided feedback on its technical, content and language dimensions. The data were analysed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses for conceptual validity and Cronbach's α and item-level test-retest analyses for reliability. RESULTS: The developed scale is a reliable and valid tool for measuring attitudes towards vaccination among parents (Cronbach's α = 0.97, variance explained by these 28-item two factors = 62.47%). CONCLUSION: This scale can be used as a guide in measuring the attitudes of parents towards vaccination and determining the direction of primary health-care services based on the results of the measurement.

The effect of Otago exercises on fear of falling, balance, empowerment and functional mobility in the older people: Randomized controlled trial.

AIM: This study aimed to test the effect of Otago exercises on fear of falling, balance, empowerment and functional mobility in older people living in nursing homes. METHODS: This study is a parallel-group randomized controlled trial. In total, 56 individuals were stratified randomized according to age-gender. Participants were recruited from September 2021 to August 2022. Data were collected at baseline, in the 8th and 12th weeks. The researcher gave Otago exercise training to the intervention group three times per week for the first 4 weeks and applied it to the individuals, and in the next 8 weeks, the researcher visited the institution to ensure the continuity of the exercises and contacted the individuals by phone. Friedman test and generalized linear model were used in the analysis of data. RESULTS: In the study, group and time interaction were found to be significant in terms of the Berg balance scale, 30-second sit-and-stand test, elderly empowerment scale and timed up-and-go test. It was determined that the intervention did not improve fear of falling, upper extremity strength and 6-min walk test results. CONCLUSION: Health personnel and administrators should have increased awareness about Otago exercises and can recommend implementation of the programme.

Development of the Turkish version of the oral health assessment tool: Methodological study.

AIM: This research aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the "Oral Health Assessment Tool for the Elderly" Turkish form. METHODS: A total of 262 elderly individuals > 65 years of age were included in the study. These individuals were selected from community-dwelling elderly and nursing home residents in the Konya province of Turkey. A data form containing sociodemographic information and oral health behavior was used to collect the data. In addition, the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index and the Oral Health Assessment Tool for the Elderly were used. To create the Turkish version of the tool, the form was translated and back-translated for content validity. Expert opinion was obtained for criterion validity. Last, confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis were performed to evaluate construct validity. Test-retest reliability, interobserver reliability, and Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients were calculated. RESULTS: The Tool Turkish form consisted of 10 items and two factors. The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was 0.86. The total variance explained by the items was 60.19%, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.95. The content validity index was 0.90, and Kendall's coefficient of concordance was 0.97. The correlation coefficient between the scales is 0.719. The mean Oral Health Assessment Tool for the Elderly score obtained by the participants was 5.4 ± 4.32 (median 5, min-max: 0-17). CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the tool is a valid and reliable tool to assess oral health in community-dwelling elderly individuals and those living in nursing homes.