Swinkels, Renée (2025) Socio-Economic Barriers of Oral Healthcare: How does it Relate to Quality of Life? Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).
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Abstract
Introduction: Poor oral health can have a significant negative impact on people's quality of life, especially for those facing socio-economic barriers. Although quantitative research has identified differences in oral health outcomes between income groups, little qualitative knowledge exists regarding how these differences are experienced and lived. With an emphasis on identifying the obstacles people encounter and comprehending how these barriers manifest emotionally, socially, and structurally, this study investigates the effect of poor oral health on quality of life. Methods: The study uses semi-structured interviews based on the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) framework and a literature review as part of a mixed-methods approach. OHIP's seven domains—Functional Limitation, Physical Pain, Psychological Discomfort, Physical Disability, Psychological Disability, Social Disability, and Handicap—were used to analyse the responses of three interviewees who perceived their oral health as poor. To better capture psychological and social elements, a subset of items from OHIP-49 were added to the conventional OHIP-14 questionnaire. Results: Results show that there are several ways in which oral health impacts quality of life. Significant psychological distress and social disengagement were experienced by all participants, and structural and financial impediments to dental care were common themes. The usefulness of the framework in assessing oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was demonstrated by the correlation between the OHIP scores and the participants' actual experiences. In addition, participants demanded systemic changes to the Netherlands' systematic division of dental and general healthcare. Conclusion: This study adds to the increasing amount of evidence that supports the idea that dental health should be seen as a crucial aspect of general health. It underlines how urgently policy changes are needed to increase access to dental care, particularly for disadvantaged groups. Keywords: Oral health, Quality of Life, Oral Health Related Quality of Life, OHIP
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Name supervisor: | Zutphen, T. van |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jun 2025 09:38 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jun 2025 09:38 |
| URI: | https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/630 |
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