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Subjective well-being and oral discomfort in older people

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2018

Maria Vieira de Lima Saintrain ,
Thâmara Manoela Marinho Bezerra ,
Flaviano da Silva Santos ,
Suzanne Vieira Saintrain ,
Lucianna Leite Pequeno ,
Raimunda Magalhães da Silva  and
Anya Pimentel Gomes Fernandes Vieira-Meyer
Maria Vieira de Lima Saintrain*
Affiliation:
Public Health Graduate Program, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Thâmara Manoela Marinho Bezerra
Affiliation:
School of Dentistry, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Flaviano da Silva Santos
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Suzanne Vieira Saintrain
Affiliation:
School of Physical Therapy, Estácio University Center, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Lucianna Leite Pequeno
Affiliation:
Public Health Graduate Program, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Raimunda Magalhães da Silva
Affiliation:
Public Health Graduate Program, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Anya Pimentel Gomes Fernandes Vieira-Meyer
Affiliation:
Family Health Master's Program, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Maria Vieira de Lima Saintrain, Public Health Graduate Program, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Avenida Washington Soares, 1321, Bairro Edson Queiroz, CEP 60811-905 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil. Phone: +5585988039038. Email: mvlsaintrain@yahoo.com.br.
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Abstract

Background:

The study aims to assess the relationship between oral discomfort and subjective well-being (SWB) in older people.

Methods:

A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in four Reference Centers for Social Welfare in Fortaleza, Northeastern Brazil. A census was held and individual interviews were carried out with all the older people (n = 246) enrolled in the centers. A questionnaire addressing sociodemographic data (age, gender, marital status, income, and education) and oral discomfort (dry mouth, difficulty in chewing and swallowing food, problems with the taste of food, burning mouth sensation, pain for no apparent reason, and mouth swelling) and the 62-item SWB scale were used.

Results:

Participants were 246 people aged 60–89 years (mean of 69 ± 6.9 years). The majority were women (n = 199; 80.9%), had incomplete primary education (n = 161; 65.4%), had an income of up to one minimum wage (n = 182; 74%), were retired (n = 169; 68.7%), were white (n = 100; 40.7%), and had no partner (n = 177; 72%). The mean SWB score (subscale 1) was associated with age (p = 0.010), gender (p = 0.019), health in the previous year (p = 0.027), systemic diseases (p = 0.007), speech problems (p = 0.016), vision problems (p = 0.006), number of teeth (p = 0.010), and dry mouth (p = 0.044). SWB (subscale 2) was associated with gender (p = 0.029), skin color (p = 0.023), general health (p < 0.001), health in the previous year (p < 0.001), systemic diseases (p = 0.001), drinking (p = 0.022), soft tissue problems (p = 0.001), and pain for no apparent reason (p = 0.025).

Conclusion:

The relationship between oral discomfort and SWB reveals that older people's poor oral health leads to physical, psychological, and/or social problems that directly interfere with their well-being.

Keywords

epidemiologyaged carehealth agingpsychogeriatrics

Information

Type
Original Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 30 , Issue 10: Issue Theme: Mild Cognitive Impairment , October 2018 , pp. 1509 - 1517
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2018 

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