Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate if changes in oral health status were associated with decline in WHOQOL- bref domain scores.
Methods: This longitudinal study was part of a cohort investigation of community dwelling older people in southern Brazil. A random sample of 872 individuals aged 60 or more was evaluated at baseline in 2004. Follow-up was carried out in 2012, with the population for the current study consisting of 389 of the original sample of older people. Interviews were performed to assess socio-demographic data variables and quality of life (WHOQOL-bref). Oral examinations assessing the number of teeth and use of prostheses were performed. Participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with chewing ability and oral appearance. Change in quality of life was categorized as positive, encompassing participants with improved or stable WHOQOL scores, or negative, comprising of participants with a decline in these scores. Risk ratios were estimated by means of Poisson regression.
Results: Overall, 238 (61.2%) participants had experienced a decline in their scores of scores for the WHOQOL physical domain, 229 (58.9%) had a decline in the psychological domain, 308 (79.2%) had a decline in the social domain and finally, in the environment domain, 241 (62.0%) had a lower score. No oral health variables were associated with changes in the physical domain. Tooth loss was associated with decline in the psychological domain RR 1.04 (1.01-1.07), as was improved satisfaction with oral appearance, RR 0.76 (0.58-0.99). Improved satisfaction with oral appearance was also associated with decline in the social domain, RR 0.79 (0.65 - 0.96) and with decline in the environment domain, RR 0.72 (0.55 - 0.95).
Conclusion: The results indicate that preventing tooth loss and addressing a patient’s concern with dental appearance could have an impact in the general quality of life of community dwelling older people.
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