Changes in oral health related quality of life and its associated factors in individuals with brain injury

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To evaluate changes in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and associated factors in individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) during hospitalization.

Methods: Forty-six individuals with ABI were examined at week 1 and 5 of hospitalization. OHRQoL was recorded through Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), clinical oral examinations were conducted, while orofacial health-related ‘motor’ and ‘cognitive’ scores were retrieved from patients’ e-journal. Association between variables were investigated using factor analysis and multilevel regression modeling.

Results: There were no significant differences in the OHIP-14 scores between week 1 and 5. Factors analysis revealed two OHIP-14 domains, ‘psychosocial’ and ‘physica‘. Individuals who improved their cognitive skills over study period and those with ‘severe’ periodontitis at baseline had increased scores of OHIP-14 ‘psychosocial’ domain. Individuals who improved orofacial health-related ‘motor’ skills over study period had decreased ‘physical’ domain scores. Increased cognition over study period, current smoking and dental calculus were associated with increased ‘physical’ domain.

Conclusions: The OHRQoL was poor both at week 1 and 5. Individual’s cognitive and motor skills as well as their oral health status influenced their OHRQoL. Thus, individual’s awareness and involvement in addition to oral care seem to be imperative in improving the OHRQoL in neurorehabilitation setting.

KEYWORDS:

• Acquired Brain Injury
• oral Health
• quality of Life
• neurological Rehabilitation
• periodontitis

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the entire nursing staff at HNRC, who were integral in potential participant identification and in critical clinical discussions. A special thanks to Helle Leegård, Head Nurse and Ole Hovgaard, Clinical Head, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Aarhus University for encouragement and providing dental instruments for the study. The author would also like to express his gratitude to Mr. Olaf Westening, country manager of Hu-Freidy (www.hu-friedy.eu) for donating fourteen UNC-15 periodontal probe to perform the periodontal clinical examination and without saying to all the participants who gave their time generously.

Conflict of interest

The authors state that they have no conflict of interest.

Availability of data and material

Available under request.

Ethical approval

The study was part of a nursing quality development project. Hence, according to the Danish law, no ethical approval was required but permission of institutional review board for clinical projects was taken. This study was performed in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

For qualitative developmental project study, formal consent is not required.

Additional information

Funding

MK received grant from Health Research Fund of Central Denmark Region for the current study with grant number A1407. The authors´ salary was supported by their respective institution;Health Research Fund of Central Denmark Region [A1407];