earticle

영어

The aim of this study was to highlight the importance of dental care service by investigating factors associated with the oral health-related quality of life in adults who visited dental clinic. Data were collected on 300 adults from a dental clinic, located in Seoul, between march and April 2008 using a convenience sampling method. We contacted patients while waiting treatment, explained the objective of our study, and upon agreement provided them with self- complete questionnaires. Oral health-related quality of life was measured using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). Bivariate analysis using t-test and ANOVA, and multivariate analysis using two-level regression model accounting clusters were employed. OHIP-14 items produced Cronbach's alpha coefficient 0.899. We established that quality of life related to oral health is significantly affected by age, education level, ability to pay, stress and illness in bivariate analysis. Results from multivariate analysis, OHIP-Total score significantly affected age, ability to pay, stress. The study suggests that age, ability to pay, stress are significantly associated with impaired oral health related quality of life. This study could be used in oral health related quality of life and dental care service.