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

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2012.00656.x 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.