The Oral Impact on Daily Performances and Self-Reported Quality of Life in Elderly People in Florianópolis, Brazil

Purpose: The aim of this study was to estimate the oral impact on daily performances (OIDPs) and its association with self-reported quality of life, sociodemographic and oral health conditions, self-reported oral symptoms and access to a clinician in elderly people. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed involving individuals over the age of 59 years, resident in the city of Florianópolis, Brazil. A sample of 180 individuals selected in a two-stage approach was examined and interviewed. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) was used to collect data on self-reported quality of life. The OIDP questionnaire was used to collect data on oral impact on daily performances. The criteria for the clinical data were those proposed by the World Health Organization. The dependent variable was the oral impact on daily performances. The chi-square test was used to examine the association between the dependent and the exploratory variables. Variables were inserted in a model of multiple logistic regression. The level of significance was set at P 0.05. Results: The proportion of individuals who reported oral impact on daily performances was 45.6%. The results of the multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only the altered condition of the oral mucosa and the social domain of the WHOQOL-BREF maintained an independent association with oral impact on daily performance. Conclusion: Of the investigated elderly individuals 45.6% reported oral impact on daily performances. Those who presented altered oral mucosa and had a lower performance in the WHOQOL-BREF social domain were more likely to report such an impact. Keywords: elderly, oral health, quality of life, social life