Comparison of Oral Health Related Quality of Life Between Rural and Urban Areas in Andhra Pradesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Oral Health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) depends enormously on the cleanliness of the mouth and on people’s lifestyles. Generally, it is the primary determinant that demonstrates a substantial influence on an individual’s overall health-associated standard of living; therefore, ensuring proper upkeep of oral cleanliness is an essential tenet for improving the overall health of a person. The research based on the epidemiology in association with the OHRQOL shows significance as it not only focuses on the physical & mental health, but also extends beyond physical health to capture the impact of oral hygiene on functional, intellectual, and cultural sophistication of a person. Hence, in improving our apprehension over the oral hygiene-related quality of life of an individual, by considering the role of social & regional factors. The present investigation was planned to assess and compare the OHRQOL in rural & urban patients of Andhra Pradesh using a short questionnaire of OHIP-14. The OHIP-14 question was considered because it concerns the effects of oral hygiene on the lifestyle of a person and assists in analysing the seven subscales linked to a person’s lifestyle, i.e., physical pain, physical disability, psychological disability, social disability, handicap, functional limitation, and psychological discomfort. AIM and OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the Oral Health-related Quality of Life (OHRQOL) between the rural and urban populations. The objectives included the evaluation of OHROQL in rural and urban areas, the determination of the dimensions that had a major impact on OHROQL in study participants, and the association between urban and rural area OHROQL. METHODOLOGY: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 participants. The participants are divided into 2 equal groups based on the geographic areas i.e., urban and rural in Andhra Pradesh province. The study participants are administered based on the structured questionnaire (OHIP-14). The participants are interviewed by the principal investigator and the response was recorded. Participation is voluntary, and verbal consent was obtained. OBSERVATION AND RESULTS: The results obtained showed that the variables having high statistical significance in rural population is physical pain, psychological discomfort and the least concerning factor are functional limitation. Where as in urban population was where psychological discomfort and the least concerning factors were functional limitation. CONCLUSION: Based on the overall results rural community has poor OHRQOL than those in urban community even though there are different variables that effects the OHRQOL in both rural and urban population. Given bidirectional relationship between impacts of oral health and health related quality of life improving oral health in rural and urban area may be a critical avenue to improve the health-related quality of life in urban and rural communities.