Oral health literacy, self‐rated oral health, and oral health‐related quality of life in Brazilian adults

• Published in: European journal of oral sciences Vol. 128; no. 3; pp. 218 - 225
• Main Authors: Bado, Fernanda Maria Rovai, De Checchi, Maria Helena Ribeiro, Cortellazzi, Karine Laura, Ju, Xiangqun, Jamieson, Lisa, Mialhe, Fábio Luiz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2020
• Subjects: Adults; Bivariate analysis; dental health education; Dental insurance; Dentistry; health behaviour; Health education; Health literacy; Health risk assessment; Mathematical models; Oral hygiene; public health dentistry; Quality of life; Regression analysis; Regression models; self-concept; socioeconomic factors; Statistical analysis; Statistical models; Toothbrushing; socioeconomic factors; dental health education; health behaviour; public health dentistry; self-concept
• ISSN: 0909-8836; 1600-0722
• DOI: 10.1111/eos.12695

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between oral health literacy (OHL), self‐rated oral health (SROH), and oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Brazilian adults. A sample of 523 Brazilian adults completed the short‐form Health Literacy in Dentistry (HeLD‐14) and the Oral Health Impact Profile‐14 (OHIP‐14) instruments that measure OHL and OHRQoL, respectively. The prevalence ratios (PRs) for outcome variables and their 95% CIs were quantified. Multivariable log‐binomial regression models were applied, as the statistical models, to estimate bivariate and multivariable relationships of oral health outcomes with OHL, after adjusting for covariates. No significant association was found between poor SROH (as measured by single items) and OHL (PR = 1.28; 95% CI: 0.87–1.88); by contrast, significant associations were found between poor SROH and income (PR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.04–2.21), toothbrushing frequency (PR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.11–2.58), reason for dental visiting (PR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.03–2.13), and self‐rated general health (PR = 3.44; 95% CI: 2.38–4.97). The OHL level (PR = 1.76; 95% CI: 1.21–2.56), educational level (PR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41–0.93), reason for dental visiting (PR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.30–2.61), and self‐rated general health (PR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.03–2.23) were associated with poor OHRQoL.