Hubungan Sensitivitas Pengecapan terhadap Kualitas Hidup Lansia Puskesmas Martubung Medan Tahun 2023

Abstract

Decreased taste sensitivity is one of the impacts of aging that can make a person avoid food. This can be related to a person's quality of life. This study aims to analyze the relationship between taste sensitivity and quality of life in the elderly. The type of research is analytical research with a cross sectional approach. The population in this study included elderly people who routinely attended Posyandu Lansia activities at the Martubung Health Center in Medan with a sample size of 38 subjects, consisting of 31 women and 7 men. Each sample was tested for taste sensitivity using the cotton buds method to four taste solutions (sweet, salty, sour and bitter) with 4 different concentration levels. Furthermore, sample was interviewed using a quality of life questionnaire Short Form-8 (SF-8). Data were analyzed using Pearson and Spearman statistical tests. The results of this study showed: (1) the average taste sensitivity score in the elderly for sweet taste was 0.50±0.507; salty 0.71±0.611; acid 0.63±0.714; and bitter 1.24±0.542; (2) mean quality of life score 53.601±18.731; (3) there is a relationship between physical and mental taste sensitivity with p <0.05; (4) there is a relationship between taste sensitivity and quality of life with p <0.001. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that there is a relationship between taste sensitivity to the physical, mental and quality of life of the elderly.