The Oral Symptom Assessment Scale in Older Patients With Frailty

Launched by OUR LADY'S HOSPICE AND CARE SERVICES · Feb 22, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying the Oral Symptom Assessment Scale (OSAS), a questionnaire designed to understand mouth-related symptoms in older patients who are living with frailty. Frailty refers to a person’s overall health and resilience, especially when recovering from illnesses. The goal of this research is to see if the OSAS can effectively identify and assess oral symptoms in older adults who may experience overlapping issues due to frailty, particularly those with advanced cancer.

To participate in this study, individuals must be at least 65 years old and have a clinical frailty score of 5 or higher, which indicates a certain level of frailty. Participants should not have a known history of dementia, and their doctor must agree that they can give informed consent to join the study. Over six months, participants can expect to complete the OSAS questionnaire, which will help researchers gather important information about oral health in this group. The study is taking place at Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services and St James’ Hospital, and it aims to improve understanding and care for older patients experiencing frailty.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • Inclusion Criteria
• • Age ≥ 65 years old
• • Clinical Frailty Score ≥ 5
• • No known history of dementia
• • The attending clinician should have no concerns about a participant's capacity to consent for this research
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Inability to provide informed consent
• • Inability to complete the questionnaire
• • Abbreviated Mental Test Score -4 (AMT4) \<4