title: Prosthetic Status, Needs and Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQOL) in the Elderly Population of Aluva, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral Health Related Quality of Life (OHRQOL), being a patient-centred outcome has profound association with the existing prosthetic status and needs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association between the prosthetic status and needs with OHRQOL in the elderly population of Aluva, Kochi, Kerala, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among the elderly residing in the municipal wards of Aluva municipality, Kochi, Kerala, India. A total of 539 subjects whose age was 60 years or above were considered for the study. Proforma utilizing a validated structured questionnaire of two sections; the first section noted with demographic details with WHO assessment of prosthetic needs and details regarding loss of teeth and denture wear and the second section consisted of Oral Health Impact Proflie (OHIP)-14 questions to measure the OHRQOL which was prepared in the local language. Type III oral examination (WHO Basic Oral Health Assessment 2013) was carried out on selected elderly subjects from house hold survey at municipal wards and recordings were done by the trained local health worker. ANOVA was used to find out the association between different domains of the OHIP and prosthetic status and need.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prosthetic status was 18.2% and 14.7% and the prosthetic needs 62.7% and 60.3% of the upper and lower jaws respectively for the population. The prosthetic status was found to have no impact on the OHRQOL. However, the prosthetic need was significantly related to various components of OHRQOL of the study population. Of all the domains in OHRQOL, physical pain was the most affected in this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is high unmet prosthetic care for non-institutionalised elderly population in Aluva.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Resident, Department of Prosthodontia, Amrita School of Dentistry, Amrita Vishwvidhyapeetham , Cochin, Kerala, India .
authors.forename: Albin Geo
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Amrita School of Dentistry, Amrita Vishwvidhyapeetham , Cochin, Kerala, India .
authors.forename: Chandrashekar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Janakiram
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Prosthodontia, Amrita School of Dentistry, Amrita Vishwvidhyapeetham , Cochin, Kerala, India .
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathew
keywords: Aging; Geriatric population; Prosthetic care