Assessment of oral health related quality of life and its relationship with health locus of control among dental and engineering students in Bangalore City

• Main Authors: Deepa Bullappa, Manjunath P Puranik, K R Sowmya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
• Series: Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
• Subjects: OHIP-14; MHLC; OHRQoL; LOC.
• Online Access: http://www.jiaphd.org/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2013;volume=11;issue=2;spage=50;epage=57;aulast=Bullappa

Aim: To assess the relationship between OHRQoL and Health Locus of Control (HLOC) using OHIP-14 and Multi-dimensional Health locus of control (MHLC) questionnaire among first and final year Dental and Engineering students in Bangalore city. Methods: A questionnaire (OHIP-14 and MHLC) study was conducted among 600 (304 female, 296 male) first and final year Dental and Engineering students in Bangalore city. Spearman′s correlation analysis was performed to correlate OHIP-14 and MHLC scores. Results: The perceived OHRQoL differed among students studying in different years of the Dental and Engineering course. Various oral problems such as decayed teeth and sensitive teeth were reported among Dental and Engineering students respectively. Regarding OHIP-14, statistically significant difference between all the groups was noted for the domain Psychological Discomfort (p=0.003) and Handicap (p=0.047) and statistically significant difference between first and final year Engineering students was noted for the domain Psychological discomfort (p</i>0.05). Similarly, statistically significant difference between all the groups (p=0.015) and between first and final year Engineering students (p<0.05) were noted for MHLC ′Internal′ subscale. Significant positive correlation among Dental and Engineering students was observed between ′Power′ scores and all the domains of OHIP-14. Conclusion: This study suggested weak relationship between OHRQoL and HLOC. Relatively lower ′Internal′ scores among Engineering students calls for professional intervention.