Prevalence, severity, and clinical determinants of oral impacts in older people in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and the severity of oral impacts and the relationships between oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and clinical measures of oral function in a sample of older adults in Bosnia. The sample comprised 261 community-dwelling adults of ≥65 yr of age. Participants were randomly drawn from three senior day-centres for elderly people. Data were collected using clinical examination and a questionnaire. The OHRQoL was assessed through the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) measure, in terms of the prevalence, intensity, and extent of oral impacts. Overall, 55.2% reported at least one oral impact in the last 6 months. Difficulty eating (43.3%) and difficulty speaking (34.1%) were the most common impacts. These were also the most severely affected performances, while 'going out' and 'enjoying the contact of other people' were the least severe. A higher number of natural teeth, natural occluding pairs, and anterior and posterior occluding pairs were all significantly associated with a lower prevalence of oral impacts and correlated with the OIDP score, even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. The prevalence of oral impacts was high and there was a strong and consistent association between OHRQoL and clinical dental indicators of function.