Prevalence and impact of xerostomia on the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS from Brazil

Spec Care Dentist. 2013 May-Jun;33(3):128-32. doi: 10.1111/j.1754-4505.2012.00290.x. Epub 2012 Nov 5.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the impact of xerostomia on the quality of life (QOL) of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) from Brazil.

Study design: A cross-sectional study was performed on 195 PLWHA. Xerostomia was detected by asking a question about the sensation of having "dry mouth," and Oral Health Impact Profile 14 (OHIP-14) was used to measure the impact of xerostomia on QOL. Time of diagnosis of HIV/AIDS was assessed.

Results: A total of 78 (40.0%) subjects presented with xerostomia. Xerostomia was associated with female gender, low amount of saliva perceived (p ≤ .01), difficulty in swallowing food (p ≤ .05), and showed to have a negative impact on QOL as measured by OHIP-14 (p ≤ .01).

Conclusion: Xerostomia was frequent and showed to have a negative impact on the QOL of PLWHA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Quality of Life*
  • Sex Factors
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Xerostomia / complications
  • Xerostomia / epidemiology*
  • Xerostomia / psychology*
  • Young Adult