The different roles of neighbourhood and individual social capital on oral health–related quality of life during pregnancy and postpartum: a multilevel analysis

Abstract Objective Social capital incorporates neighbourhood and individual levels of interactions and influences health. The objective of this was to assess the association of neighbourhood and individual social capital with oral health–related quality of life ( OHRQ o L ) in pregnant and postpartum women. Methods This was a follow‐up prevalence multilevel study on a representative sample of 1248 women grouped into 55 neighbourhoods. OHRQ o L was assessed in the postpartum period using the Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire ( OHIP ‐14). Exploratory variables were gathered during the first trimester of pregnancy and included neighbourhood social capital (neighbourhood‐level measure), individual social capital (social support and social networks), demographic and socio‐economic variables, oral health measures, and health‐related behaviours. Results The multilevel ordered multinomial logistic regression showed that neighbourhood social capital did not significantly affect women's OHRQ o L during pregnancy and postpartum period. Individual social capital measures were independently associated with high OHRQ oL. Lack of family social network increased the odds for high OHRQ oL ( OR = 1.44, 95% CI : 1.08–1.92). Individuals with high levels of positive social interaction were less likely to report high scores of OHRQ oL ( OR = 0.90, 95% CI : 0.82–0.98). Conclusion Individual social capital was of greater relevance to women's OHRQ o L in and after pregnancy than neighbourhood social capital. These findings suggest that quality of personal and social resources of pregnant women are more important for OHRQ o L than the neighbourhoods where the women live.