DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i11.031

Pages: 4010-4016

The issue of daily care for patients with chronic mental disorders has recently been given more consideration. Many studies have revealed a strong association between oral diseases and chronic diseases. There is a lack of research on the relationship between oral health and quality of life of residents in psychiatric nursing homes. This study examined the oral health habits of the residents of a psychiatric nursing home and the predictive factors influencing their quality of life. The study adopted a cross-sectional study design and purposful sampling method to enroll 150 psychiatric nursing home's residents with their informed conscents. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire composed of the following sections: basic personal characteristics, oral hygiene habits, visit experience of the dentist, and Short-Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) quality of life scale. The results showed that among the eight quality of life dimensions, the psychiatric nursing home residents had the highest score in Mental Health (MH=64.97) and the lowest score in Role-Emotional (RE=55.83). Married residents had significantly different scores in Role-Physical (RP), Vitality (VT), Role-Emotional (RE), and Mental Component Summary (MCS). A significant correlation was observed between gender, oral self-care, and correct tooth brushing and quality of life. Age and years of education were found to be significantly and negatively correlated with physiologic function. Better oral health habits were associated with better overall quality of life. Overall quality of life was worse in female residents than in male residents. Older participants were found to have worse quality of life.