.Oral Health Impact Profile in elderly Chileans in southern Chile.

Abstract

Abstract: aim: To evaluate the impact of oral health on the quality of life of elderly patients (EP) in the public health system of Valdivia, Chile in 2015. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted using the “Oral Health Impact Profile Spanish version” (OHIP-14Sp), in a population of 387 EP (71.8+/-7.5 years old; 53 percent women). The impact of oral health on the quality of life was determined by the mean scale score that ranged beween 0 points (good quality of life) and 56 points (poor quality of life). In addition, oral health problems reported by EP population as having a greater influence on their quality of life were also included in this study. Results: The mean score of OHIP-14Sp was 20.1+/-7.6 points. Items showing problems more frequently associated with quality of life were: “toothache” (32.8 percent), “appearance of the teeth” (32.8 percent), “sensitive teeth” (32.3 percent) and “difficulty for chewing food” (25.8 percent). Conclusion: The impact of oral health on the quality of life of the EP population was considered low when compared to the median score of OHIP 14Sp. Functional and aesthetic aspects showed the highest impact on the quality of life of EP in the city of Valdivia.