Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Oral Mucosal Conditions: A Qualitative Research

Abstract

To use qualitative research methods to evaluate the experiences of patients with chronic oral diseases. Material and Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit patients from the Oral Medicine Unit of Kerman University Dental School. An experienced independent facilitator convened the focus groups and conducted individual interviews in a non-clinical setting. Focus groups were mixed regarding their gender, age, chronic oral mucosal condition, time since diagnosis, and severity. A total of 39 patients participated in the study, including patients with oral lichen planus, pemphigus, recurrent aphthous stomatitis and leukoplakia. Results: Analysis of the interviews revealed that patient views could be divided into the following themes: biopsychosocial issues, treatment limitations and side effects, unpredictability of the conditions and the potential for malignant transformation. Chronic oral mucosal conditions affected patients' daily lives in various areas, from physical health and functioning to concerns about their future. Conclusion: The oral medicine practitioner's role in treating patients with chronic oral mucosal diseases extended beyond active management and symptomatic relief to the management of all aspects of these conditions that affected their daily lives.

Patient Experience of Lichen Planus: A Qualitative Exploration of Signs, Symptoms, and Health-Related Quality of Life Impacts

“…These included (but were not limited to) feelings of frustration/annoyance primarily due to itch, and embarrassment associated with their physical appearance. This is reflective of previous literature that LP has a significant impact on patients’ psychological wellbeing [ 15 – 17 ]. LP was also reported to impact social functioning across the LP subtypes, with participants mentioning reduced intimacy and avoidance of social activities due to their symptoms.…”

“…To our knowledge, this is the first qualitative study exploring patients’ perceptions of the signs, symptoms, and impact on HRQoL associated with CLP and LPP subtypes. Therefore, despite the small sample size, this research not only adds to the qualitative literature available in MLP [ 11 , 13 – 15 ], but also provides preliminary insights into the experience of CLP and LPP from the patient perspective. A further limitation is that participants for the exit interviews were predominantly female; however, this is reflective of the literature, which suggests that LP may affect more females than males [ 5 ].…”

“…Qualitative studies in MLP indicate that painful oral lesions affect patients’ physical functioning and daily life by impairing their ability to eat, perform oral hygiene care, and speak [ 11 , 13 , 14 ]. Patients’ emotional wellbeing is also affected due to the chronicity, unpredictable clinical behavior, and potentially malignant nature of MLP [ 14 , 15 ]. While no qualitative studies appear to exist that explore HRQoL impacts for CLP or LPP patients, there are some quantitative studies that suggest a significant impact on aspects of emotional wellbeing, social functioning, and activities of daily living (ADL) in these patients, as indicated by patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures designed to assess HRQoL [ 16 , 17 ].…”

Evaluating the Appropriateness of Existing Health-Related Quality of Life Measures in Lichen Planus

“…While qualitative literature is limited, there is evidence that LP patients, particularly CLP and MLP patients, experience psychological impacts including anxiety and depression [ 12 ]. Patients with oral MLP also report experiencing significant impacts to daily activities such as discomfort when having certain foods and drinks, which in some cases can result in depression and high levels of stress and anxiety [ 13 , 14 ]. LPP patients have reported impacts on social interactions and daily activities as a result of scarring and hair loss, causing patients to have low self-esteem and feel self-consciousness [ 15 ].…”