关键词: 老年人, 口腔衰弱, 口腔健康相关自我效能, 社会支持, 中介效应, 社区护理

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the relationship between oral frailty and oral health-related self-efficacy in the elderly，as well as the mediating role of social support，aiming to provide a reference for clinical workers to develop safe and effective interventions. Methods Convenience sampling was employed from December 2024 to June 2025，using a combination of online and offline methods to select elderly individuals from communities in Guangzhou，Jingzhou，and Tianmen as study participants. Data was collected using a general information questionnaire，the Chinese version of the Oral Frailty Screening Tool for Older Adults，the Chinese version of the Oral Health-Related Self-Efficacy Scale for Older Adults，and the Social Support Rating Scale. The mediating effect of social support between oral frailty and oral health-related self-efficacy was examined using structural equation modeling. Results A total of 350 questionnaires were collected，of which 331 were valid，giving a valid response rate of 94.57%. The oral frailty score for the elderly population was （4.52±1.86）；the oral health-related self-efficacy score was （51.40±11.84）；the social support score was （39.92±10.46）. Social support partially mediated the relationship between oral frailty and oral health-related self-efficacy，with a mediating effect of 28.97%. Conclusion The incidence of oral frailty in the elderly is high. Social support is a mediating variable between oral frailty and oral health-related self-efficacy. Nursing staff and community managers should pay close attention to the social status of the elderly and actively encourage them to participate in social activities to improve their self-efficacy and，consequently，improve their oral health.

Key words: Aged, Oral Frailty, Oral Health-Related Self-Efficacy, Social Support, Mediating Effect, Community Nursing