title: Oral health behavior and factors associated with poor oral status in Qatar: results from a national health survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral health is a crucial determinant of quality of life. We aimed to determine oral health condition and factors associated with poor oral status in the adult national population of Qatar.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from the World Health Organization supported STEPS (STEPwise approach to Surveillance) Survey conducted by the Supreme Council of Health, Qatar in 2012. A total of 2,496 Qataris (1,053 men, 1,443 women) answered the national survey. The Rao-Scott Chi-Square test was used to analyze oral health characteristics and multinomial logistic regression to assess risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The self-perceived oral status of approximately 40 percent of respondents was either "average" or "poor" rather than "good." Poor oral status was more often reported by women (OR = 1.93; 95%CI = 1.30-2.80), by older (OR = 3.38; 95%CI = 1.59-7.19) and less educated respondents (OR = 3.58; 95%CI = 2.15-5.96). Other risk groups included people with diabetes (OR = 1.87; 95%CI = 1.24-2.81), smokeless tobacco users (OR = 3.90; 95%CI = 1.75-8.68), or ever tobacco users (OR = 1.66; 95%CI = 1.03-2.67). Oral health status appeared to be independent of diet, BMI status, and history of hypertension. Difficulties and behaviors related to oral health were more frequently reported by women than by men. These included pain (P < 0.001), difficulty chewing (P < 0.001), and discomfort over appearance of teeth (P < 0.001). Participants used toothbrushes, toothpicks, dental floss, and miswak to maintain oral hygiene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results provide evidence that oral health remains a public health concern in Qatar.
authors.affiliation: Department of Global and Public Health, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Sohaila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheema
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maisonneuve
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Mohamed Hamad
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Al-Thani
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Al Anoud Mohammed
authors.initials: AAM
authors.lastname: Al-Thani
authors.affiliation: Department of Global and Public Health, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ghanim Ali
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Al-Mannai
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Abdulla Asad
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Emadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Walaa Fattah
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Al-Chetachi
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Cooperation, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Badria Ali
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Almalki
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Shams Eldin Ali
authors.initials: SEA
authors.lastname: Hassan Khalifa
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ahmad Omar
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Haj Bakri
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lowenfels
authors.affiliation: Department of Global and Public Health, Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ravinder
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mamtani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D011780:Qatar; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Qatar; dental status; national survey; oral health; oral symptoms