Oral health related quality of life and it's related factors of stroke patients at home in Korea

Objective: Due to physical impairments of stroke patients oral health tends to deteriorate, which may have an impact on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the OHRQoL and analyze its related factors among stroke patients cared for at home in Korea. Methods: OHRQoL of 549 stroke patients aged over 50 who received care at home was assessed by Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) in a City, Korea, from May to June 2009. Trained researchers and five nurses conducted interviews with patients or caregivers in their homes using structured questionnaires. Demographic, general health, stroke, and oral health related variables were surveyed. Statistically, t-test, an analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between OHRQoL and various covariates. Results: Mean of total OHIP-14 score was 35.7 ± 10.0. Age, activity of daily living (ADL) (p< 0.001), subjective general and oral health status (p< 0.001), degree of disability (p< 0.001), frequency of tooth brushing (p< 0.001), use of dental floss (p< 0.01), missing teeth, and use of denture (p< 0.001) showed significant association with the OHIP-14 scores. In multiple regression analyses, ADL, frequency of tooth brushing per day, subjective general status, and oral health status were identified as significant factors with the OHIP-14 scores in stroke patients who received care at home. Conclusion: Among strong patients who received care at home, participants who had more severe physical disability, poorer oral hygiene and more missing teeth showed poorer OHRQoL.