Abstract
Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is an essential indicator of people's overall health and health-related quality of life. Poor oral health and OHRQoL among young adults lead to numerous negative consequences and an increased burden on the healthcare system. The present study is aimed at assessing the OHRQoL among the young adults of Saudi Arabia, identifying self-rated oral health, and determining the relationship between sociodemographic and lifestyle factors with the OHRQoL. The present analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1152 health and non-health-related college university students from three randomly selected universities. The OHRQoL was evaluated using the validated Arabic version of the oral health impact profile-14 questionnaire (OHIP-14). Of the population studied, one-fourth of the participants (24.9%) reported poor or fair oral health, and the highest OHIP-14 score was found in the domains of physical pain (4.14), followed by psychological discomfort (4.07). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the poor oral health category was significantly associated with male gender (ref: female: adjusted OR (AOR) = 1.89, 95%CI = 1.23–2.94, p = 0.004), daily smokers (ref: nonsmokers: AOR = 3.47, 95%CI = 1.97–4.82, p < 0.001), chocolate and candies intake more than once a day (ref: never; AOR = 1.54, 95%CI = 1.10–2.19, p = 0.034), and did not seek periodical dental care (ref: periodic dental care received: AOR = 2.23, 95%CI = 1.53‐2.86, p = 0.002). The present study revealed the factors associated with poor OHRQoL. The concerned authorities should consider the implementation of periodic dental checkups for university students, especially for the high-risk group. Furthermore, it is recommended to have regular health education programs that will help to change the student's lifestyle and poor oral health behaviors.
Highlights
Health is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1].Oral health (OH) is an essential indicator of people’s general health and is closely associated with overall health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) [2, 3]
The present study revealed a positive association between the oral health impact profile-14 questionnaire (OHIP-14) scores and self-oral rated health (p < 0:001)
On assessing the association between sociodemographic characteristics with the poor oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), the present study found that male participants had a significantly higher rate of poor OHRQoL (AOR = 1:89, 95%CI = 1:23 – 2:94, p = 0:004) than females
Summary
Health is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1]. The OH impact profile (OHIP) questionnaire is commonly used to measure OHRQoL in children, adults, and dentate elderly people [10, 11]. The short version of the OHIP includes 14 items (OHIP-14), which are based on Locker’s conceptual model to measure OH [10] These elements represent the consequences of oral diseases and the negative impact they have on OHRQoL. Poor oral health behaviors, such as high sugar consumption and inadequate brushing habits, may lead to adverse effects on OHRQoL [19, 20]. Considering the necessity of having regional data in this category population, this study was planned to assess the OHRQoL among the young adults of the KSA by using the OHIP14 questionnaire.
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