Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults in Mbouda/Cameroon 2020

Abstract

Aim or Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with oral health-related quality Of life (OHRQOL) in adults in Mbouda (Cameroon) in 2020. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey with nonprobability sampling was used in this study from March to November 2020. A sample of 238 adults aged from 18 to 65 years residing in Mbouda completed an oral health survey to assess the factors associated to OHRQOL. The means and standard deviations of the OHIP-14 index were calculated and associated to individual and environmental factors and biological functions. Normality test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test and the coefficient of spearman correlation were used for data analysis. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. An approval to conduct the study was obtained from the institutional research ethics committee for human health. Results: The most affected domains of the OHIP-14 index score among adults were physical pain (42.6%) and psychological discomfort (39.2%). Age group, level of education, number of daily brushes, fixed salary, accessibility, periodontal disease and tooth decay were significantly associated with OHRQOL. After multiple linear regression, periodontal disease, accessibility and dental caries were retained as predictors of OHRQOL in adults of Mbouda. Conclusions: The establishment of an oral health program, the strengthening of an effective oral hygiene, the promotion of oral health and the reduction of geographic and financial barriers are necessary to finally improve OHRQOL among adults in Mbouda.