The Moderating Role of Self-Rated Oral Health on the Association Between Oral Health Status and Subjective Well-Being: Findings From Chinese Older Adults in Hawaiʻi and Taiwan

Abstract

This paper aims to address the research questions of whether individual’s oral health status is associated with subjective well-being, as well as if there is possible moderating role of self-rated oral health among two groups of Chinese older adults (≥55 years old) in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi and Taichung, Taiwan. Using survey data collected in 2018 ( N = 430, Honolulu) and in 2017 ( N = 645, Taichung), ordinary least square regressions were applied. Results showed that, for both samples, oral health status was negatively and significantly associated with subjective well-being, and both associations were moderated by self-rated oral health. In addition, the moderating effects were more salient for the Honolulu sample, who enjoyed higher levels of self-rated oral health and life satisfaction. These results suggest the significant associations of both oral health status and self-rated oral health on individual health and well-being for Chinese older adults residing in different cultural contexts.