Linking self-perceived oral health to
background factors and clinical status.
- An epidemiological study in the Swedish county
of Kalmar.
Anna Modigh
Jessika Kylås
Supervisors
Björn Axtelius, Department of Oral Public Health, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University,
Sweden
Sigvard Åkerman, Department of Oral Diagnostics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University,
Sweden
Master of Odontology (30 credits) Malmö University Programme of Dentistry Faculty of Odontology, February 2014 205 06 Malmö
Linking self-perceived oral health to
background factors and clinical status.
- An epidemiological study in the Swedish county
of Kalmar.
Anna Modigh
Jessika Kylås
Supervisors
Björn Axtelius, Department of Oral Public Health, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University,
Sweden
Sigvard Åkerman, Department of Oral Diagnostics, Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University,
Sweden
Master of Odontology (30 credits) Malmö University Programme of Dentistry Faculty of Odontology, February 2014 205 06 Malmö
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate self-perceived oral health (SPOH) and factors affecting it, among adults in the Swedish county of Kalmar. The study is part of an epidemiologic study conducted in 2010-2012. The sample for this study was comprised of 380 individuals, randomly selected, who participated in a clinical examination with a concomitant questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of 56 questions concerning e.g. patient perception of oral health and socio-economic situation. The final study population consisted of 189 women (49.9%) and 190 men (50.1%). The individuals were 20-90 years, with a mean age of 52 years. Self-perceived oral health was statistically defined by one question of the questionnaire: self-assessed oral health as compared to contemporaries of the same age, and termed SPOH. The clinical variables analysed were number of own teeth, DMFT (Decayed, Missed, Filled Teeth), gaps between teeth and risk assessment (sum of the dentists assessment of caries risk, periodontal risk, technical risk and general risk). The background variables were age, gender,
education and ethnicity. Bivariate correlations and regression analyses were conducted with SPOH as dependent variable, and with background factors and clinical variables as independent variables. Significant correlations were found between SPOH and age (p<0.01), DMFT score (p<0.01), number of own teeth (p<0.01) and the dentists’ risk assessment (p<0.01). Higher SPOH was associated with increased age, increased number of own teeth and decreased DMFT. A consistency between the clinician’s assessment of the patient’s oral status and SPOH was shown in the correlation between these two variables, which implies that a higher risk assessment is associated with a lower SPOH.
Sammanfattning
Syftet med studien var att undersöka självupplevd oral hälsa (SPOH) och faktorer som påverkar den, i en vuxen population i Kalmar län, Sverige. Studien är en del av en epidemiologisk studie som
genomfördes under 2010-2012. Urvalet för denna studie bestod av 380 slumpvis utvalda personer som deltog i en omfattande klinisk undersökning och svarade på en enkät. Enkäten bestod av 56 frågor
angående bl.a. patientens självupplevda orala hälsa och socioekonomiska situation. Den studerade populationen bestod av 189 kvinnor (49,9%) och 190 män (50,1%). Individerna var 20-90 år, med en genomsnittlig ålder av 52 år. Självupplevd oral hälsa definierades statistiskt utifrån en av frågorna i enkäten: självupplevd oral hälsa jämfört med jämnåriga, och benämndes SPOH. De kliniska variabler som analyserades var antal egna tänder, DMFT (Decayed, Missed, Filled Teeth), tandluckor och riskbedömning (summa av tandläkarens bedömning av kariesrisk, parodontal risk, teknisk risk och allmän risk). Bakgrundsvariablerna var ålder, kön, utbildning och etnicitet. Bivariata korrelationer och en regressionsanalys utfördes med SPOH som beroende variabel och med bakgrundsfaktorer och kliniska variabler som oberoende variabler. Signifikanta korrelationer påvisades mellan SPOH och ålder (p<0,01), DMFT (p<0,01), antal egna tänder (p<0,01) och tandläkarens riskbedömning (p<0,01). Högre SPOH korrelerade med ökande ålder, fler egna tänder och lägre DMFT. En överensstämmelse mellan tandläkarens bedömning av patientens orala status och SPOH påvisades i sambandet mellan dessa två variabler, vilket indikerar att högre bedömd risk är förknippat med en lägre SPOH.
