Abstract
Background: The promotion of healthy oral practices during early stages of growth can have a positive impact on the psychology, personality and thus holistic health of individual for entire life. Assessment of determinants of oral health habits and their impact on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) may serve as an important instrument to articulate the conventional oral health policy framework, thereby ameliorating the overall health of young individuals in the long term. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between children’s oral health habits and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among a random students’ sample in the capital governorate, Kuwait. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 607 students, aged 12-14 years, selected randomly from the Capital in Kuwait. Collection of behavioural data was done using the validated English and Arabic Oral Health and OHRQoL CPQ12-14 following prior informed consent of parents/guardians of students enrolled in the study by trained interviewers. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 22.0 and using Shapiro- Wilks test for the determination of continuous variables for normal distribution along with frequency and percentage distribution determined the categorical variables in the form of oral health behaviours interpreted as non-fractional numerical scores. Chi-square, t-tests and ANOVA were used to evaluate the variation pattern in oral health among the subjects to determine the association of oral behaviours with child OHRQoL. Results: About 52.2% subjects were males and the overall response rate was 93.8%. The mean for total OHRQoL impact was 3.1 while the total mean for individual domains- for oral symptoms, functional limitations, emotional well-being and social well-being were 2.89, 2.89, 3.1 & 3.4, respectively. There was no significant difference in total OHRQoL impact score by frequency of last dental visit, flossing, use of mouth rinse or chewing gum but for the overall OHRQoL, frequency of soft drink intake was the only significant predictor associated with 0.2-unit decrease in total OHRQoL scores. Conclusions: Though excess soft drink consumption was related to poorer OHRQoL and an unhealthier lifestyle yet research towards behaviour changing interventions based on OHRQoL inferences coupled with clinical intervention are warranted.
Spiritual Well-Being as a Component of Health-Related Quality of Life: The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy—Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp)
