title: Factors influencing adolescents' oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  OHRQoL comprises an apparently complex array of biological and psychological aspects of oral health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relative contribution of sociodemographic, psychosocial, or clinical characteristics to OHRQoL in adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  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 (R(2) = 0.05). This increased slightly with inclusion of the clinical variables. When the psychosocial variables were added, however, the R(2) 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychosocial characteristics are important contributors to OHRQoL in adolescents and appear to be more important than sociodemographic or clinical characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Lyndie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Foster Page
authors.forename: W Murray
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ukra
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009909:Oral Health; D011788:Quality of Life