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% women). The impact of oral health on the quality of life was determined by the average 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%), “appearance of the teeth” (32,8%), “sensitive teeth” (32,3%) and “difficulty for chewing food” (25,8%). 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 esthetic aspects showed the highest impact on the quality of life of EP in the city of Valdivia.
Highlights
The elderly population (EP) over 60 years of age has shown a progressive and rapid change in its population pyramid
Oral health problems reported by elderly patients (EP) population as having a greater influence on their quality of life were included in this study
Items showing a higher frequency of oral health problems associated with quality of life were: “toothache” (32.8%), “appearance of teeth” (32.8%), “tooth sensitivity” (32.3 %) and “difficulty for chewing food” (25.8%) (Fig.1)
Summary
The elderly population (EP) over 60 years of age has shown a progressive and rapid change in its population pyramid. Data from the United Nations predict that by 2050 one in five people will be over 60 years, estimating a rate higher than 24.1% in Chile, with a life expectancy of up to 80 years[1]. These figures are associated with dramatic oral health problems caused by the loss of teeth in EP due to the lack of appropriate measures to prevent and treat oral health problems throughout their life[2]. To quantify quality of life in relation to oral health, scales such as Oral Health Impact Profile- 49 (OHIP-49), Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), Oral Impact of Daily Performance (OIDP), Geriatric/General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI), among others[4], have been used and validated
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