title: Oral health-related quality of life in Swedish young adults.
abstract: The living conditions of young adults in Sweden have changed during the last decades due to the economic and employment situation in society. Although oral health is mainly considered to be good in this age group, their use of dental care has decreased and their priorities and opportunities regarding oral health are little known. The purpose of this study was to describe the views of Swedish young adults on their oral health and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The design of the study was qualitative, using content analysis. Sixteen young adults, aged 21-29 years, were interviewed. The findings from the interviews were summarized under the theme "Young adults reflected on their OHRQoL in a time perspective" consisting of three categories: "Past experiences, Present situation, and Future prospects." The OHRQoL of young adults is dependent not only on their own experiences of oral health during childhood and their received dental care but also on their present self-perceived oral health, oral health habits, and social life; together with their expectations of future oral health. The findings in this study indicate that the oral health awareness and needs of young adults, as well as their expectations of oral care, merit further follow-up.
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Health Sciences, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden.|Department of Behavioural and Community Dentistry, Institution of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Gunvi.Johansson@hh.se.
authors.forename: Gunvi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioural and Community Dentistry, Institution of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Public Dental Service, Region Västra Götaland, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna-Lena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Östberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Oral health; quality of life; young adults