Discrimination due to sexual orientation and oral health-related quality of life among adolescents

Braz Oral Res. 2024 Sep 13:38:e085. doi: 10.1590/1807-3107bor-2024.vol38.0085. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

To evaluate the association between discrimination based on sexual orientation and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in adolescents. This was a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort performed in southern Brazil. The baseline assessment was carried out in 2010 with a sample of preschoolers (1 to 5 years). Subsequently, these individuals were reassessed, and for the present study, only the data from the final follow-up in 2020 were considered. OHRQoL was assessed by the short version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 11-14 (CPQ11-14). The discrimination due to sexual orientation was measured using item 10 of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Sociodemographic (sex, age, skin color, maternal education, household income) psychosocial (sense of coherence), and clinical variables (untreated dental caries) were also evaluated. Multilevel Poisson regression analysis was performed to verify the associations. Results are present as rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 429 adolescents were evaluated - about 67.1% of those assessed at baseline. The prevalence of discrimination due to sexual orientation was 3.3%. Adolescents who reported suffering episodes of discrimination due to sexual orientation presented overall CPQ11-14 scores 16% higher (RR 1.16, 95%CI 1.01-1.36) than their counterparts. Adolescents who reported suffering episodes of discrimination due to sexual orientation presented poorer OHRQoL.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Dental Caries / epidemiology
  • Dental Caries / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Oral Health* / statistics & numerical data
  • Prevalence
  • Quality of Life*
  • Sexual Behavior* / psychology
  • Sexual Behavior* / statistics & numerical data
  • Socioeconomic Factors*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

The authors would like to thank all the children, their parents, and schools that took part in this study, as well as the health and education authorities from Santa Maria, RS, Brazil for all information and authorization. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS – process 21/2551-0002006-7).