|
Aim: The aim of this study wasto
assess themagnitude of various oral health indicators. Further,
toidentify the oral health indicators as a predictive factor forthe
quality of life among head and neck cancer patients.
Methods: A cross-sectional studywas conducted among400 head and
neckcancer patients attending tertiary cancer center. The European
Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Head and Neck
specific(EORTCQLQH&N35)modulewas used to assess the patient’s quality of
life. Oral health indicators (oral hygiene practices, oral complication,
dental visits, oral rehabilitation) were recorded through oral
examination and personal interviews. Spearman’s correlation coefficient
was used to assess the correlation between oral health indicators and
different scales of QoL. Multivariate linear regression by a backward
stepwise methodwas applied to assess the influence of oral health
indicators as a predictive factor forQoL.
Results: Out of 400 patients, 54.25% of patients reportedhaving
one or another form of oral complication. Periodontal problems were the
common oral complication among the patients. There was a weak
correlation between oral health indicators and most of the scales of
EORTC QLQ-H&N35. Theoretically, linked oral health indicators were found
to be significant predictive factors.
Conclusion: The results show thatthere was a high magnitude of
poor oral health indicators.Oral health indicators also acted as a
significant predictor of quality of life. A multi-disciplinary approach
is desirable for the improvement in oral health thus improving the
overall quality of life among head and neck cancer patients.
Key words:
head and neck cancer, oral complications, oral health, quality of life
|
Address of correspondence:
Sujal Parkar, DMD, PhD
Dept. of Public Health Dentistry,
Siddhpur Dental College and Hospital
email: drsujal_pcd@live.com
Copyright © 2022 by The Editorial Council of The Acta
Stomatologica Naissi |