Factors influencing adolescents' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL)

摘要

Background: OHRQoL comprises an apparently complex array of biological and psychological aspects of oral health. Aim: To determine the relative contribution of sociodemographic, psychosocial, or clinical characteristics to OHRQoL in adolescents. Design: A cross-sectional study of Dunedin adolescents was carried out. Each participant completed a self-administered questionnaire and underwent a clinical examination. Information collected included sociodemographic characteristics (sex, ethnicity, and household deprivation), psychosocial characteristics (self-esteem, psychological well-being, somatisation, and self-perception scores for body image), and clinical measures (DMFS and Dental Aesthetic Index). OHRQoL was measured using the 16-item impact short-form CPQ11-14 questionnaire. Linear regression analyses used the CPQ11-14 as the dependent variable, with independent variables entered in related groups. Results: Three hundred and fifty-three children (48.4% females) took part, representing a 58.8% response rate. Linear regression modelling of the CPQ11-14 score showed that sociodemographic characteristics were predictors, but the model's overall explanatory power was low (R2 = 0.05). This increased slightly with inclusion of the clinical variables. When the psychosocial variables were added, however, the R2 increased to 0.50; all psychosocial variables (except self-esteem) were strongly associated with the CPQ11-14 score. Psychological well-being was the strongest predictor. Conclusion: Psychosocial characteristics are important contributors to OHRQoL in adolescents and appear to be more important than sociodemographic or clinical characteristics.