title: Implications of edentulism on quality of life among elderly.
abstract: This study aimed was to test the association between quality of life and edentulism among elderly individuals in a city in southeastern Brazil. This cross-sectional study was carried out with 163 individuals aged 60 years or older, functionally independent and non-institutionalized. Data were collected with a questionnaire and oral examination. The edentulism was the dependent variable. The independent variables were sex, age, household income and quality of life (WHOQOL-Old) and their scores. To assess the association between the dependent variable and independent variables was used bivariate analysis (p < 0.10). Poisson regression model was performed, adjusting for age and sex. The average age of participants was 69 years (± 6.1), 68.7% were female and 52.8% were diagnosed as completely edentulous (90% CI: 0.33-1.24). When the independent variables were associated to the prevalence of edentulism, statistically significant associations were found for age (p = 0.03) and social participation dimension of the WHOQOL-Old (p = 0.08). In the Poisson regression, social participation remained statistically associated to edentulism {RP = 2.12 [90% CI (1.10-4.00)]}. The social participation proved to have a significant association to edentulism, thereby attesting to the negative effect of this condition on social aspects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Zip Code 31270.901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. badi@univale.br
authors.forename: Suely Maria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Andréa Maria Duarte
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Allyson Nogueira
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Efigênia Ferreira
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: E Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life