Oral health-related quality of life and dental status in an outpatient psychiatric population: A multivariate approach

Research related to oral health in people with mental health problems may deepen our understanding of the quality of life of such individuals. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oral status, health perceptions and life satisfaction, and their impacts on oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL). Data were collected from 113 patients in outpatient psychiatric care using a structured interview and an oral examination. Six multivariate models (one comprising the total population, three separate diagnostic groups, and two sex groups) investigated the variance in OHQoL. In the total population, the number of teeth, subjective life satisfaction, perception of physical health, sex, and relying on chance accounted for 40% of the variance. In the group consisting of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia 41% of the variance was explained by the variables 'number of teeth' and 'perception of physical health'. In the group diagnosed with mood disorders, the variable 'number of teeth' accounted for 58% of the variance. The variance in the remaining group of diagnoses was explained, up to 38%, by life satisfaction and reliance on chance. The sex models revealed significant differences: men considered the responsibility of caring for their oral health as a health matter, while women saw oral health as a more subjective issue. The perception of OHQoL was found to be dependent on the particular psychiatric diagnosis and sex. Such findings can be of use in the development of rehabilitation, as well as preventive strategies that could be individually tailored to maintain OHQoL and oral health.