Validity of self-reported oral conditions among Brazilian older women: Do socio-economic factors matter?

OBJECTIVE: To validate the level of agreement between self-report and clinical examination for oral conditions and evaluate the effect of sociodemographic conditions on the validity of self-report among women aged 60 and older. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a social community center for seniors in Southern Brazil. Sociodemographic data (age, level of education, and income) were measured. Participants were interviewed and clinically examined for the number of teeth (DMF-T index) and the use of dental prostheses. The self-reported number of teeth in each arch and the use of dental prostheses were gathered through interviews. The level of agreement was estimated using the observed agreement, Kappa statistics, sensitivity/specificity (edentulism/prostheses) and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient, and related tests (number of teeth). The validity of the oral conditions was estimated according to sociodemographic information. RESULTS: Ninety-nine women participated in the study. High levels of agreement were observed for edentulism (97.8%; 95%CI 92.8;99.7; Kappa 0.947) and the use of dental prostheses (97.0%; 95%CI 91.3;99.4; Kappa 0.922). In both conditions, despite achieving similar concordance correlation coefficients (ranging from weak to moderate), the mean number of upper teeth was lower in clinical examination (7.1 ± 5.2) compared with self-reported (8.6 ± 3.6), while the opposite was observed for lower teeth (clinical examination: 9.1 ± 3.4; self-reported: 6.6 ± 5.3). Larger differences were found among women of low income and educational levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the participants' socio-economic position might influence their self-reported number of teeth.

Does the Sense of Coherence modifies the relationship of oral clinical conditions and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life?

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association of demographic and clinical characteristics, Sense of Coherence (SOC), clinical conditions (number of teeth, and use of and need for dental prostheses), and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL); and if the SOC modifies the relationship of clinical conditions and OHRQoL in a sample of elders. METHODS: Trained dentists assessed the participants' oral health and conducted interviews (n = 110). Information on sociodemographic conditions (sex; age at time of data collection; educational level; household income), SOC, and OHRQoL were investigated. Clinical data included use of and need for dental prostheses; number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth; and number of teeth (categorized by median). OHRQoL was measured using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Effect modification between SOC and each clinical oral condition on OHRQoL was tested in regression models. RESULTS: The findings of the present study showed that individuals with high SOC presented better OHRQoL, even after adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical conditions. CONCLUSION: SOC modifies the effect in the association between OHIP-14 scores and clinical conditions, and could be a protective factor in adverse conditions.