Towards a Conceptual Definition of ICU-Acquired Oral Frailty: A Qualitative Study of Patients, Family Members and Clinicians.

Authors

Huichao Zhang, Mingmei Xu, Yahong Xu, Ying Zhang, Yaqian Zhang, Yishan Zheng, Ling Wang

Published in

Nursing in critical care. Volume 31. Issue 4. Pages e70564.

Abstract

Although intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) is well recognized, its conventional focus on limb and trunk weakness overlooks the critical domain of oropharyngeal function. Although oral frailty has been described in geriatric and community settings, there remains no ICU-specific, experience-informed conceptualisation of ICU-acquired oral frailty.
This study aimed to explore and conceptually define ICU-acquired oral frailty from the perspectives of patients, family members and clinicians.
A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in two Chinese intensive care units. Semi-structured interviews were performed with a purposive sample of former ICU patients, family members, ICU physicians and ICU nurses. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis, with data sufficiency considered at the level of the overall multi-perspective dataset rather than within each participant subgroup.
Twenty-four participants were interviewed (2 former ICU patients, 8 family members, 6 ICU physicians and 8 ICU nurses). Analysis revealed four central themes: Disruption of Bodily Integrity, The Barrier to Communication, Yearning for Professional Guidance and Challenges in Clinical Management. These themes were generated from analysis of an integrated multi-perspective dataset.
ICU-acquired oral frailty is a distinct, multifaceted syndrome affecting physical, psychological and social well-being. It remains under-recognized because of the lack of an ICU-specific conceptual definition and context-appropriate assessment tools.
Recognizing this syndrome is a necessary first step towards developing targeted interventions and future assessment frameworks to support recovery of essential oral functions and improve long-term quality of life after critical illness.

PMID:
42405381
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 06 Jul 2026.

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