The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescents

Abstract Background School bullying has negative impacts on the overall health of children and adolescents, but the association between bullying and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is still unclear. Methods In this study, a two-wave prospective design was used to collect data in Yunnan...

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Main Authors: Sifan Wang, Jin Lu, Guiqing Zheng, Yandie He, Shuqing Liu, Yi Xiang, Xinyi Liu, Xiang Wang, Yuanyuan Xiao, Ni Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Public Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22684-6
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author Sifan Wang
Jin Lu
Guiqing Zheng
Yandie He
Shuqing Liu
Yi Xiang
Xinyi Liu
Xiang Wang
Yuanyuan Xiao
Ni Zhou
author_facet Sifan Wang
Jin Lu
Guiqing Zheng
Yandie He
Shuqing Liu
Yi Xiang
Xinyi Liu
Xiang Wang
Yuanyuan Xiao
Ni Zhou
author_sort Sifan Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background School bullying has negative impacts on the overall health of children and adolescents, but the association between bullying and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is still unclear. Methods In this study, a two-wave prospective design was used to collect data in Yunnan Province, southwest China. A total of 5,346 children and adolescents aged 10–17 years were included in the study through two-stage randomized cluster sampling. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to assess the sequential associations between baseline bullying and the subsequent OHRQoL. Stratified analyses were further performed to evaluate the effect modification by important demographic variables. Results The prevalence of school bullying was 16.40%. After adjustment, bullying involvement at baseline was associated with increased odds of subsequent poor OHRQoL (odds ratio, OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.50–2.11). Victims and bully-victims were seen significantly deteriorated OHRQoL, with ORs of 1.81 (95% CI: 1.50–2.19) and 2.10 (95% CI: 1.35–3.33). For different types of bullying victimization, only verbal victimization displayed a significant association with OHRQoL (OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.63–2.65). Bullying involvement was significantly associated with all four subdomains of OHRQoL, particularly for social well-being (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.60–2.27). Stratified analyses revealed prominent effect modification by age, sex, ethnicity, and left-behind status in bullying-OHRQoL association. Conclusion Our findings suggest that children and adolescents who experienced school bullying had a significantly higher risk of subsequently poor OHRQoL, particularly for verbal victims. Targeted interventions should be designed and implemented.
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spelling doaj-art-043e9894dd8e4e90a26b6019bdf75f872025-08-20T02:15:06ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-05-0125111110.1186/s12889-025-22684-6The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescentsSifan Wang0Jin Lu1Guiqing Zheng2Yandie He3Shuqing Liu4Yi Xiang5Xinyi Liu6Xiang Wang7Yuanyuan Xiao8Ni Zhou9Faculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, The University of Hong KongPsychiatry Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, Kunming Medical UniversityDivision of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical UniversityDivision of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical UniversityDivision of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical UniversityDivision of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical UniversityDivision of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical UniversityDivision of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical UniversityDivision of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Kunming Medical UniversityFaculty of Dentistry, Prince Philip Dental Hospital, The University of Hong KongAbstract Background School bullying has negative impacts on the overall health of children and adolescents, but the association between bullying and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is still unclear. Methods In this study, a two-wave prospective design was used to collect data in Yunnan Province, southwest China. A total of 5,346 children and adolescents aged 10–17 years were included in the study through two-stage randomized cluster sampling. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to assess the sequential associations between baseline bullying and the subsequent OHRQoL. Stratified analyses were further performed to evaluate the effect modification by important demographic variables. Results The prevalence of school bullying was 16.40%. After adjustment, bullying involvement at baseline was associated with increased odds of subsequent poor OHRQoL (odds ratio, OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.50–2.11). Victims and bully-victims were seen significantly deteriorated OHRQoL, with ORs of 1.81 (95% CI: 1.50–2.19) and 2.10 (95% CI: 1.35–3.33). For different types of bullying victimization, only verbal victimization displayed a significant association with OHRQoL (OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.63–2.65). Bullying involvement was significantly associated with all four subdomains of OHRQoL, particularly for social well-being (OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.60–2.27). Stratified analyses revealed prominent effect modification by age, sex, ethnicity, and left-behind status in bullying-OHRQoL association. Conclusion Our findings suggest that children and adolescents who experienced school bullying had a significantly higher risk of subsequently poor OHRQoL, particularly for verbal victims. Targeted interventions should be designed and implemented.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22684-6School bullyingQuality of lifeOral healthChildrenAdolescentsMental health
spellingShingle Sifan Wang
Jin Lu
Guiqing Zheng
Yandie He
Shuqing Liu
Yi Xiang
Xinyi Liu
Xiang Wang
Yuanyuan Xiao
Ni Zhou
The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescents
BMC Public Health
School bullying
Quality of life
Oral health
Children
Adolescents
Mental health
title The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescents
title_full The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescents
title_fullStr The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescents
title_full_unstemmed The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescents
title_short The sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) in Chinese children and adolescents
title_sort sequential association between school bullying and oral health related quality of life ohrqol in chinese children and adolescents
topic School bullying
Quality of life
Oral health
Children
Adolescents
Mental health
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22684-6
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