The aim of this study is to examin the association between anxiety/depressive tendency and oral health-related quality of life in inpatients of convalescent wards. This cross-sectional study included inpatients of convalescent wards (age range 34-100 years). Data on age, sex, functional independence measure, number of teeth, odontotherapy status, and primary disease for which hospitalization was required were collected. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess emotional distress. The oral health-related quality of life was evaluated by the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). Oral hygiene level was assessed by the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT). We performed a multiple regression analysis to assess relationships among HADS, GOHAI, and OHAT. Following the analysis, causal connections of these factors were evaluated with structural equations modeling. The scores of GOHAI and OHAT in the caseness cohort (HADS score > 11) were significantly worse than those in the non-caseness cohort (HADS score < 7). Multiple regression analysis revealed that GOHAI was a statistically significant predictor of HADS score (p = 0.012), and that HADS and OHAT scores were predictors of GOHAI (p = 0.012 and < 0.001, respectively), adjusted by sex and age. We found that a model connected from OHAT to HADS through GOHAI was a good fit for the data of inpatients. Oral health-related quality of life, affected by oral hygiene status, was strongly associated with emotional distress in inpatients of convalescent wards. Daily oral care and assessment by healthcare professionals can reduce the emotional distress of inpatients in convalescent wards.
Keywords: Convalescent care; GOHAI; HADS; OHAT; Oral care.