Assessing changes in oral health-related quality of life and its factors in community-dwelling older Brazilians

Objective: To describe changes in oral health-related quality of life and to evaluate the associations of these changes in community-dwelling older people. Materials and methods: In this longitudinal study a representative sample of 872 older people, living in Brazil, was evaluated during 2004. The follow-up was carried out during 2008, with 587 older persons evaluated. A questionnaire assessing socio-demographic information, health history, oral health-impact profile and number of natural teeth was used. Changes in oral health-related quality of life were categorized as improvement or deterioration. Data analysis was performed using a hierarchical approach based in a conceptual framework. A hierarchal approach was carried out using Poisson regressions. Results: Older persons living in rural areas, those who reported brushing once a day or less and older persons with fewer natural teeth had an increased chance of reporting deterioration in oral health-related quality of life. Women and participants who received a minimum wage of less than US$219.50 were more likely to report improvement in oral health-related quality of life. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that changes in the oral health-related quality of life are influenced by many of the variables that were included in the conceptual framework.