[Objective and subjective factors related to self-rated oral health among the elderly].
The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with negative self-rated oral health. Elderly subjects from the Brazilian Ministry of Health's oral health survey (2002-2003) who rated their own oral health as bad or very bad were compared to those who rated their oral health as excellent, good, or fair, using prevalence ratios based on Poisson regression. The minority (870; 17%) gave their own oral health a negative rating. Negative self-rated oral health was less prevalent among those with 1-9 teeth and the edentulous, and more prevalent among blacks, mixed-race, and indigenous, those who had never used dental service, with soft tissue alterations, who reported little pain or medium to intense pain, rated their own appearance and chewing as fair or bad or very bad, reported that their oral health limited their social interaction a little or considerably, and reported needing dental treatment (PR = 1,47; 95%CI: 1.20-1.79). Despite their precarious oral conditions, the majority gave their oral health a positive rating. Subjective conditions were more heavily associated with self-rated oral health than were objective conditions. The findings suggest unequal oral health conditions and allow orienting public policies aimed at oral health and quality of life.
Martins
Andréa Maria Eleutério de Barros Lima
AM
Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Brazil. martins.andreamebl@gmail.com
Barreto
Sandhi Maria
SM
Pordeus
Isabela Almeida
IA
D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012649:Self Concept; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires