Relationship between Subjective Oral Discomfort and Health-Related Quality of Life in the South Korean Elderly Population.

Kyung-Yi Do,Sook Moon

doi:10.3390/ijerph17061906

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between oral discomfort and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the Korean elderly, using the datasets provided by the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHNANES) over 6 consecutive years (2010–2015). A total of 13,618 participants aged 65 years and over were included in the final analysis. A complex sample logistic regression was performed to determine the impact of oral discomfort on HRQOL. The results revealed that toothache, masticatory discomfort, and pronunciation problems caused by oral health conditions were all risk factors for decreased HRQOL. In particular, masticatory discomfort (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.63, Model III (adjusted for all covariates)) and pronunciation problems (AOR 1.64, Model III) negatively impacted the HRQOL of the elderly to a great extent. Masticatory discomfort had a stronger negative impact on HRQOL in the domains of “self-care” (AOR 1.83) and “usual activities” (AOR 1.66), while pronunciation problems had a similar impact on all five domains of the EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D). These findings could serve as baseline data for setting up early intervention programs for the timely prevention of oral health-related discomfort problems that greatly affect the QOL of the elderly population, and for the development of comprehensive and efficient dental insurance policies.

Highlights

Oral health is essential in preserving a healthy life in later years
These findings could serve as baseline data for setting up early intervention programs for the timely prevention of oral health-related discomfort problems that greatly affect the quality of life (QOL) of the elderly population, and for the development of comprehensive and efficient dental insurance policies
In an effort to address these limitations, this study aimed to investigate the impact of three typical self-rated oral discomfort problems, namely toothache, masticatory discomfort, and pronunciation problems, on the deterioration of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) with a large sample size by combining the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KHNANES) over 6 years

Summary

Introduction

Oral health is essential in preserving a healthy life in later years. Oral health in the elderly population plays an important role in maintaining a balanced diet and healthy digestion and is closely related to systemic diseases [1,2]. Does reduced saliva secretion lead to increased vulnerability to dental caries and periodontal diseases in the elderly, but it can result in oral ulcer and erythema, causing severe discomfort when wearing dentures [3,4]. Oral health has a great impact on self-esteem and quality of life (QOL) in the elderly because it affects pronunciation and physical appearance, which are both of vital importance to social life and interpersonal relationships [5,6]. The negative impact on a balanced diet and effective dietary intake contributes to elevated morbidity and mortality among the

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