Resumo

BITTENCOURT, Vanessa; ABEGG, Claides  e  FONTANIVE, Victor Nascimento. Oral health impacts on daily activities of individuals aged 50-74 in three health districts of Porto Alegre/RS. RFO UPF [online]. 2013, vol.18, n.1, pp. 37-43. ISSN 1413-4012.

Objective: to investigate the prevalence of oral problems and its impact on daily activities, as well as its relationship with social and demographic variables Methods: cross-sectional population-based study evaluating individuals aged 50 to 74 years old (n = 720) from 3 Health Districts in Porto Alegre/RS. A multi-stage sample was used. Data were collected in people's homes, using a questionnaire containing social (education, income) and demographic aspects (age, gender), and the socio-dental indicator Oral Impact on Daily Performances (OIDP). Descriptive analysis was used. For the bivariate analysis among sociodemographic variables and dental care impact, the chi-square and Pearson's tests were used. Results: more than half of the subjects (57.8%) reported at least one daily activity affected by oral health problems. Eating (36.8%), smiling (30.7%), and speaking clearly (19.6%) were the daily activities with more impact frequency. There was no statistical association between oral impact and sociodemographic variables (p > 0.05). The main oral problems causing impacts were: ill-fitting dentures and tooth loss. Conclusion: the high prevalence of oral impact demonstrates the influence of oral problems in the performance of daily activities of the individuals.

Palavras-chave : Quality of life; Oral health; Prevalence; Elderly.