Oral health-related quality of life in socially endangered persons in Copenhagen, Denmark.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to investigate and describe the Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in a socially endangered group of people and to compare the OHRQoL to other patient groups.


METHODS
About 294 socially endangered persons attending a volunteer clinic in Copenhagen Denmark filled in the OHIP-14 questionnaire. The group was compared in mean score and reported problems to a group of patients with tooth loss and about to have a removable dental prosthesis (RDP), a group with tooth loss about to have a fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) and a control group without tooth loss.


RESULTS
Significantly higher OHIP-14 score was seen in the socially endangered group (15.5 (SD 12.6)) compared with the control (1.9 (SD 2.7)) and the FDP group (9.4 (SD 8.2)) but not the RDP group (13.1 (SD 10.5)). This difference was not changed after stratifying in age groups. Problems related to psychological disability, social disability, and handicap were more frequent in the social endangered group than for the other groups. The items pain, tense, diet, relax, life, and function stand out as problems in the socially endangered group compared to the other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The OHRQoL is highly impaired in the socially endangered persons and at least to the level of persons with great tooth loss about to have an RDP. The problems seem to be more handicapping in the socially endangered compared with other patient groups known to have high impairment.
a Section of Oral Rehabilitation, Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Esben Boeskov
EB
Øzhayat
b Homeless Dental Clinic in Humanitarian Organization Kofoeds Skole , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Peter
P
Østergaard
a Section of Oral Rehabilitation, Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark.
Klaus
K
Gotfredsen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D017266:Dental Prosthesis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*
Economy; OHIP; OHRQoL; impairment; social