Psychosocial aspects and the impact of oral health on quality of life of Brazilian adults

Abstract

Introduction: This research aimed to investigate the association between psychosocial aspects and the impact of oral health on quality of life among adults. Method: This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,100 adults aged 20 years or older from a medium-sized city in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil. The outcome was Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) in three categories: better (OHIP=0: 50% of lower scores), moderate (OHIP 1–12.6: 25% of intermediate scores), and worse (OHIP≥12.7: 25% of higher scores). The exposures included measurements of social support, resilience, sense of coherence, spirituality, quality of life, and stress. We calculated crude and adjusted odds ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals using ordinal logistic regression. Results: After adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral variables, individuals with low social support, low sense of coherence, low quality of life, and high level of stress were, respectively, 2.16, 2.90, 2.94, and 1.50 times more likely to report a worse impact of oral health on quality of life than those with favorable characteristics. Conclusions: The findings suggest that psychosocial aspects can influence the perceived impact of oral health on quality of life. Health policies, programs, and services must recognize the mutual relationship between oral health indicators and psychosocial aspects among adults.