Oral health-related quality of life and oral hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the general population in Sevan and Artashat cities, Armenia

Abstract

Background: Oral health is a vital part of general health and is an important factor that influences individual’s quality of life. The prevalence of oral diseases has been high. Oral diseases are responsible for not only physical but also social and psychosocial problems. The ramifications of poor oral health pose a major threat to an individual’s quality of life, affecting their appearance, functioning and even interpersonal relationships. Oral health knowledge is considered as a precondition for better oral-health attitudes and practices. The aim of this study was to assess the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among the general adult population living in Sevan and Artashat cities of Armenia and explore its associations with potential risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted to address the research question. The study population included adults (18+) living in Sevan and Artashat cities. Data collection was conducted through an interviewer-administered household survey. The survey questionnaire included questions regarding OHRQoL, oral hygiene knowledge, attitudes and practices, and socio-demographic characteristics. Descriptive, simple and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed using STATA 13 software. Results: Overall, 196 participants were included in the study. The mean age of the participants were 45.0 (SD: 14.99) and 42.6 (SD: 14.15) in Sevan and Artashat cities, respectively. The mean percent score for OHRQoL was approximately the same for both cities (37.6% in Sevan and 37.5% in Artashat). The mean percent scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were calculated (70.0%, 65.3% and 57.7% in Sevan; 73.2%, 76.5% and 62.6% in Artashat, respectively). The scores were not statistically significantly different between the cities. After adjusting for the knowledge score, attitudes score, age, and standard of living, the research team did not find significant association between the practice score and OHRQoL score (β= 0.23; 95%CI= -1.12, 1.60; p-value = 0.732). Conclusion: The present study was the first investigating OHRQoL and oral hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Sevan and Artashat cities, Armenia. We did not find an association between oral hygiene practices and OHRQoL. However, the findings from this study might become a starting point for further studies to obtain more information about underlying factors influencing peoples’ oral health related quality of life not only in Sevan and Artashat cities but across Armenia. The study revealed important aspects of oral hygiene knowledge, attitudes, and practices which can be used for implementing interventions to increase the knowledge, hence oral hygiene practices influencing the OHRQoL.