ORAL AND GENERAL HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN ADULTS: AN UPDATED SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS INCLUDING...

Oral health and general health are closely linked, but the association between the two is still under discussion. This study aimed to update and expand a previously published systematic review and meta-analysis to include new data on the correlation between overall Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and to examine how OHRQoL relates to the physical and mental components of HRQoL.

A comprehensive search of online databases (Ovid MEDLINE(R), Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Scopus, and Web of Science) was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Eligible studies reported correlations between validated OHRQoL and HRQoL instrument summary scores, and/or physical and mental component scores in adult populations. Correlation coefficients were pooled using the random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were performed by population setting (dental, medical, and nonpatient). A sensitivity analysis was conducted to compare pooled correlations for OHRQoL with the physical and mental components of HRQoL. Heterogeneity and publication bias were evaluated using Q, I², τ², funnel plots, and the trim-and-fill method.

Nine studies covering 12 populations from 6 countries were included in this update. The pooled correlation between OHRQoL and HRQoL summary scores was r = 0.42 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.33-0.49), indicating a medium relationship with improved precision (narrower CI) compared to prior results. Subgroup analyses showed similar associations across dental, medical, and nonpatient populations with no significant subgroup differences (Q_M = 1.80, P = .41). The pooled correlation between OHRQoL and Physical Component Score (PCS) was r = 0.35 (95% CI: 0.26-0.43), and for Mental Component Score (MCS) it was r = 0.38 (95% CI: 0.30-0.46). Both correlations were moderate in magnitude, meaning that oral health contributes similarly to physical and mental dimensions of overall well-being.

This updated analysis confirms a medium-strength relationship between oral and general health. In addition, oral health connects similarly with both the physical and mental components of HRQoL. These results support the idea that oral and general health influence each other and reinforce the importance of interprofessional collaborative approaches to improve patient health and well-being.