F: KNOWLEDGE OF REMOVABLE PARTIAL DENTURE USE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG THE ELDERLY IN LANTEK TIMUR BANGKALAN MADURA

Abstract

Tooth loss in older adults can impair chewing function, speech, aesthetics, and quality of life. Removable partial dentures (RPDs) can restore these functions; however, their utilization remains low. Preliminary interviews with 10 older adults in Lantek Timur Village, Bangkalan, Madura showed that all respondents had experienced tooth loss, but none used removable partial dentures. Therefore, the research problem is the low utilization of removable partial dentures among older adults in Lantek Timur Village, Bangkalan, Madura, in 2025.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between knowledge of removable partial denture (RPD) use and the quality of life of older adults in Lantek Timur Village, Bangkalan, Madura. An analytical study with a cross-sectional design was conducted. The study included 37 older adults selected using a total sampling technique. The independent variable was knowledge of RPD use, while the dependent variable was the quality of life of older adults. Data were collected using a knowledge questionnaire on RPD use and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), a validated instrument widely used to assess the impact of oral health conditions on quality of life. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test with a significance level of α = 0.05. The strength of the association between knowledge of RPD use and quality of life was assessed using Cramer's V derived from the Chi-square analysis.

The results showed that most older adults had poor knowledge of RPD use and experienced a severe impact on their quality of life. The Chi-square test yielded a p-value of 0.007, while Cramer's V was 0.596, indicating a statistically significant relationship between knowledge of RPD use and the quality of life of older adults, with a moderate strength of association. Older adults with lower levels of knowledge regarding RPD use tended to have poorer quality of life. In conclusion, there was a significant relationship between knowledge of removable partial denture use and the quality of life of older adults in Lantek Timur Village, Galis District, Bangkalan Regency.