A Swedish version of the GOHAI index. Psychometric properties and validation

This study investigated a Swedish version of the 12 item General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). The aim was to validate the translated instrument, and to investigate factors that may influence the GOHAI score. Consecutive samples at eight dental clinics in G?teborg, Sweden were asked to answer the GOHAI, the short form of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and a questionnaire including socio-demographic, general health and oral health questions. 153 patients (50-89 yrs old) out of 237 (65%) returned the questionnaires. The most commonly reported problem (GOHAI) was 'worried or concerned' due to problems related to oral health (48%), followed by 'unhappy with the appearance of teeth, gums, or dentures' (36%) and 'teeth sensitive to hot, cold, or sweets' (33%). The Cronbach's Alpha (0.86) indicated a high degree of internal consistency and homogeneity between items. Item-scale correlations varied between 0.50 and 0.83. Strong relations were found between depressed GOHAI-scores and dental problems (mobile teeth, number of teeth, dentures). The correlation between the GOHAI score and the OHIP-14 was high (-0.83) indicating good construct validity. Also 'perceived general health' and 'satisfaction with life-situation' and dental status were significantly, but less strongly, correlated with the patient's GOHAI score. In a linear regression analysis, age,'perceived general health' and dental status (number of teeth in lower jaw and mobile teeth) were found to have a significant effect on the GOHAI score. Factor analysis of GOHAI indicated a two-factor solution and did not support the theoretical construction reported of the index. The test-re-test reliability was assessed in a separate sample (members of a physical handicap organization, n = 47) and the correlation coefficient for the GOHAI was 0.64. For individual items, the weighted kappa coefficient varied between 0.25 and 0.80. In conclusion, the Swedish version of the GOHAI showed acceptable reliability and validity.     

Validation of a Hebrew version of the Oral Health Impact Profile 14

OBJECTIVE: This study determined the validity of a Hebrew version of the Oral Health Impact Profile in a cross-sectional study of a general dental practice in Israel. METHODS: The original English version of a short-form oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) was translated into Hebrew using the back-translation technique. Participants were interviewed and examined clinically by a calibrated dentist. Information on the subjects' sociodemographic background and oral health conditions was collected. RESULTS: A total of 142 persons were interviewed and clinically examined. The Cronbach's alpha and the standardized item alpha for OHIP-14 were both 0.88. Cronbach's alpha of the translated OHIP-14 subscales ranged from 0.48 to 0.76. Construct validity of the translated Hebrew version was supported by the finding that the total OHIP score correlated with the number of decayed teeth, missing teeth, need for prosthodontic treatment, and pattern of dental attendance. Participants with oral pain were more likely to report impact on one of the OHIP subscales and to have more impacts than participants who were pain free. CONCLUSIONS: The Hebrew version of OHIP-14 presented acceptable validity and reliability. Further research is needed to assess the value of this measure in Israel.     

The association between clinical oral health status and oral impacts experienced by older individuals in Sri Lanka

The aim of this study was to determine the association between clinical oral status and oral impacts experienced by older individuals in Sri Lanka. A total of 585 individuals who were above 60 years and were residents of an urban area was selected using a multistage cluster sampling combined with probability proportionate to size technique. However the present analysis is limited to 235 individuals who were subjected to a clinical oral examination. An interviewer administered Sinhala translation of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) scale was used to assess the oral impacts experienced by the sample. An oral examination was carried out following the interview. Of the 235 subjects clinically examined 64 (27%) were edentulous. The associations between clinical parameters and oral impacts were assessed in the 171 dentate subjects. There were positive, weak but significant correlations between the number of missing teeth, the number of teeth with third degree mobility and the OHIP score. Also those who wore dentures and had halitosis had significantly higher OHIP scores than those who did not wear dentures and did not have halitosis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that 'wearing denture' and 'having halitosis' were significant predictors of the OHIP score. In conclusion, there was a weak association between clinical parameters and oral impacts experienced by these older individuals.     

老年患者口腔健康生命质量的相关因素分析

目的：初步研究老年口腔疾病患者的口腔健康生命质量及其影响因素。方法：选择在中山大学光华口腔医学院门诊就诊的250名55岁以上（含55岁）的老年人，应用老年口腔健康评价指数（geriatric oral healthassessment index，GOHAI）量表中文版、一般项目表及自我口腔健康评价表对其口腔健康生命质量进行调查，通过多元回归分析得出影响口腔健康生命质量的相关因素。结果：GOHAI中文版平均得分为12．26±7．67。多元回归方程为：GOHAI中文版得分=-6．477＋0．309×自我评价的口腔健康＋0．164×缺失牙数＋0．237×对口腔状况的满意度＋0．127×对生活的满意度，方程的决定系数为0．423。结论：自我评价的口腔健康、缺失牙数、对口腔状况的满意度及对生活的满意度是影响老年患者口腔健康生命质量的主要因素。     

A German version of the GOHAI

Abstract – Objectives: Translation, reliability analysis and validation of a German version of the Geriatric/General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) was the aim of this study. Methods: Translation was performed by a forward–backward process. Validity was assessed as convergent validity in comparison with another self‐perceived assessment of oral health (OHIP‐14) and as group validity (n = 218; mean age 73 years). Reliability was proved in terms of internal consistency, inter‐item and item‐scale correlations, and stability (test–retest procedure; n = 36; mean age 77 years). The responsiveness to change in oral health status was assessed by pre‐ and post‐treatment comparison (n = 21; mean age 63 years). Results: A German version of the GOHAI is presented. Convergent validity was sufficient (r = ?0.76 compared with OHIP‐14); group validity could be demonstrated for self‐perceived need for treatment, chewing problems, number of own teeth, caries lesions present and dental status. The internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92) as were inter‐item and item‐scale correlations, for which good homogeneity of the index was apparent. The test–retest correlation for the summary score was r = 0.84, single item correlations ranged from r = 0.36 to r = 0.89. The GOHAI sum score increased significantly after patients received new dentures, indicating responsiveness of the GOHAI to clinical change in the expected direction. Conclusions: The German version of the GOHAI had sufficient reliability, validity and responsiveness to be used as measure of oral health‐related quality of life in cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies of the elderly.     

An assessment of sensitivity to change of the Oral Health Impact Profile in a clinical trial

Patient-based assessment of oral health outcomes is of growing interest. Measurement of change following clinical intervention is a key property of a health status measure. To date, most of the research on oral health status measurement has focused on construct and discriminant validity of health status measures. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess sensitivity to change of an oral-specific health status measure, the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP). METHODS: Study subjects were in three groups, namely, edentulous/edentate subjects who requested and received complete implant stabilised oral prostheses (IG, n=26), edentulous/edentate subjects who requested implants but received conventional dentures (CDG1, n=22), and edentulous subjects who had new conventional complete dentures (CDG2, n=35). Data were collected pre- and post-operatively using the OHIP and a validated denture satisfaction questionnaire. RESULTS: All subjects reported similar low levels of denture satisfaction pre-operatively. Denture problems had a more significant impact on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQL) for implant seekers (IG and CDG1 subjects) than subjects seeking conventional dentures (CDG2). Following treatment, significant improvement in satisfaction with oral prostheses and OHRQL was reported by IG and CDG2 subjects; the level of improvement was more moderate for CDG1 subjects. OHIP change scores were correlated with denture satisfaction change scores. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that sensitivity to change of the OHIP was good. This property was not improved by using statement weights.     

Validation of the Korean version of the oral health impact profile among the Korean elderly

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to validate a Korean version of the oral health impact profile (OHIP) and to develop a short-form of OHIP for the Korean elderly. METHODS: The original English version of OHIP was translated into Korean using a forward-backward method. Internal consistency was measured by Cronbach's alpha among 1098 subjects aged 56 or more. Test-retest reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with a 3-month interval among 155 subjects aged 57 or more. The validity of the Korean version of OHIP (OHIP-K) was assessed by comparing OHIP scores with the perceived dental treatment needs and by identifying associations between OHIP scores and the number of natural teeth among 128 subjects aged 54 or more. The short-form of OHIP for the Korean elderly (OHIP-14K) was developed using linear regression models and was also validated and compared with the short-form of OHIP by Slade (OHIP-14S). RESULTS: The Cronbach's alpha value for OHIP-K was 0.97. The ICC for OHIP-K was 0.64. Adults with perceived dental treatment needs had a higher OHIP score than adults without any such needs (P < 0.001). The number of natural teeth was negatively associated with the OHIP score (r = -0.44, P < 0.001). OHIP-14K and OHIP-14S shared seven identical items out of a total of 14 items. OHIP-14K results correlated with OHIP-K almost exactly (r(2) = 0.96), as did OHIP-14S (r(2) = 0.95). CONCLUSIONS: OHIP-K showed excellent reliability and validity. OHIP-14S may be a better choice for the evaluation of oral health-related quality of life among the Korean elderly for an international comparison.     

The mandarin Chinese shortened version of Oral Health Impact Profile for partially edentate patients with implant-supported prostheses

This study was to validate a mandarin Chinese version of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-49) in China and to develop a shortened version of OHIP appropriate for use in partially dentate patients with implant-supported prostheses. The original 49 items of OHIP were translated into mandarin Chinese using a forward-backward method and administered to 580 subjects selected by stratified random sampling. Self-perceived oral health status and treatment need were also collected. Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of OHIP (OHIP-C49) were validated. A shortened version (OHIP-I) was derived from the OHIP-C49 by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) as well as expert-based approach in partially dentate patients (n=102) with implant-supported prostheses. For validation of the new modified shortened version, another independent sample of 97 partially dentate patients completed OHIP-I and their self-perceived oral health status at baseline and at least 3 months after dental implant rehabilitation. Five hundred and thirty-seven effectual questionnaires were reclaimed from the 580 subjects interviewed. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.78 to 0.96 and test-retest correlation coefficients ranged from 0.84 to 0.97 for subscale and summary scores. Construct validity was demonstrated by priori hypothesised associations between the OHIP-C49 scores and self-perceived oral health (P<0.001). The reliability and validity of OHIP-I were similar to which of the OHIP-C49, and the responsiveness appeared able to measure the effect of dental implant therapy effectively. The mandarin version of OHIP-49 showed sufficient psychometric properties for Chinese. The modified shortened version (OHIP-I) may be appropriate for the evaluation of implant therapy outcomes in partially dentate Chinese patients.     

A comparison of two questionnaires measuring oral health-related quality of life before and after dental hygiene treatment in patients with periodontal disease

To cite this article:
Int J Dent Hygiene 10 , 2012; 9–14
DOI: 10.1111/j.1601‐5037.2011.00511.x
Öhrn K, Jönsson B. A comparison of two questionnaires measuring oral health‐related quality of life before and after dental hygiene treatment in patients with periodontal disease. Abstract: Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the usefulness of two different questionnaires assessing oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) at the basic examination and after initial dental hygiene treatment (DHtx). Methods: A total of 42 patients referred for periodontal treatment completed the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐14) and the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) at the basic periodontal examination. They underwent DHtx and completed the questionnaires once again after the treatment. Results: No statistically significant differences could be found between the two assessments, neither for the total scores nor for any of the separate items of the OHIP‐14 or the GOHAI. However, the GOHAI questionnaire seems to result in a greater variety in the responses indicating that the floor effect is not as pronounced as for the OHIP‐14. Those who had rated their oral health as good reported significantly better OHRQoL on both questionnaires. The same pattern was found for patients who reported that they were satisfied with their teeth. After DHtx and necessary extractions, there was a statistically significant correlation between the number of teeth and the total scores on both questionnaires. No other statistically significant correlations with periodontal variables could be found. Conclusion: No statistically significant difference could be found after DHtx compared to before in regard to OHRQoL assessed with OHIP‐14 and GOHAI. However, there was a greater variety in the responses with the GOHAI questionnaire; it may hereby be more useful for patients with periodontal disease.     

Impact of masticatory performance on oral health-related quality of life for elderly Japanese

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association of masticatory performance with oral health-related quality of life in independently living elderly Japanese subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study sample consisted of 1028 independently living people over the age of 60 years. Masticatory performance was determined by the concentration of dissolved glucose obtained from test gummy jellies, which are the standardized food developed for measuring masticatory performance. The short-form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) were used to measure the impact of oral conditions on oral health-related quality of life. RESULTS: Subjects with lower masticatory performance had significantly higher total OHIP-14 and GOHAI scores (15.0 +/- 9.0 and 14.5 +/- 9.2, respectively) than their counterparts (10.0 +/- 7.5 and 11.3 +/- 7.1, respectively) (P < .01). Logistic regression analyses showed that after controlling for age, gender, self-perceived general health, satisfaction with financial status, and number of teeth, a higher GOHAI score was significantly related to lower masticatory performance (P = .001; odds ratio: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.40 to 0.79). A higher OHIP-14 score was associated with lower masticatory performance but at a level below statistical significance (P = .096; odds ratio: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.53 to 1.05). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that masticatory performance is an important factor influencing the quality of life in independently living, relatively healthy elderly Japanese subjects.     

A modified short version of the oral health impact profile for assessing health-related quality of life in edentulous adults

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a shortened version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) appropriate for use in edentulous patients and to evaluate its measurement properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected from the Ontario Study of Older Adults and a longitudinal clinical trial of implant-retained prostheses undertaken in Newcastle Dental Hospital, UK. All subjects completed an OHIP at baseline, and UK subjects also completed an OHIP posttreatment. Using an item impact reduction method, a shortened version of the OHIP (called OHIP-EDENT) was derived from both datasets. Discriminant validity and responsiveness properties of this modified version were compared with OHIP-14 and OHIP-49. RESULTS: Using an item impact method of reducing the 49 OHIP items produced very similar subsets in both Canadian and British populations; the modified version had little overlap with the current short version (OHIP-14). Discriminant validity properties of OHIP-EDENT were similar to OHIP-14 and OHIP-49. Using effect sizes to assess sensitivity to change, OHIP-EDENT exhibited less susceptibility to floor effects than OHIP-14 and appeared to measure change as effectively as OHIP-49. CONCLUSION: The modified shortened version of the OHIP derived in this study has measurement properties comparable with the full 49-item version. This modified shortened version may be more appropriate for use in edentulous patients than the current short version.     

The impact of the National Denture Service on oral health-related quality of life among poor elders

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of the Korean National Denture Service (NDS) for poor elderly people requiring dentures on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL). Data from follow-up studies were collected from 439 subjects at eight public health centres who answered every question of a questionnaire, and the OHRQOL was measured at the baseline and at 3-month follow-up after receiving the NDS according to the type of denture provision. The multivariate linear mixed model with a public health centre as a random effect for the score change of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14K was carried out to confirm the factors related to the improvement in OHRQOL. The mean OHIP-14K was 28.60 at the baseline time points, and there was a decrease in the OHIP-14 scores to 21.14 ± 12.52 at the 3-month follow-up of the removable partial denture beneficiaries. The changes in OHIP-14K among complete denture beneficiaries were 21.53 ± 12.01 for previously dentate subjects and 22.54 ± 11.12 for edentate subjects. The multivariate linear mixed model of dentate subjects demonstrated that the improvement in the OHRQOL was associated with the number of remaining teeth, satisfaction with denture and self-reported oral health status after 3 months. In the case of the edentate model, satisfaction with denture was the only factor related to the improvement in OHRQOL. This study revealed considerable improvement in OHRQOL among poor elderly people after NDS. Satisfaction with provision of dentures was associated with improvement in the OHRQOL.     

Comparison of the GOHAI and OHIP-14 as measures of the oral health-related quality of life of the elderly

OBJECTIVES: This paper compares the performance of the GOHAI and the OHIP-14 as measures of the oral health-related quality of life of the compromised elderly. METHODS: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 225 participants, most of whom lived in a large geriatric care centre. RESULTS: The mean age of subjects was 83 years and the majority had one or more chronic medical conditions and physical disabilities. Their main oral problems were high rates of tooth loss and xerostomia. Additive and simple count methods were used to derive GOHAI and OHIP-14 scores. Using the additive method, 8.4% had a GOHAI score of zero and 30.3% an OHIP-14 score of zero. Using the simple count method the percentage with a score of zero was 15.1% and 45.8%. Both measures discriminated between dentate subjects with and without one or more dentures, with and without a chewing problem and with and without dry mouth. Both also showed significant associations with self-rated oral health and satisfaction with oral health status. Associations tended to be stronger between GOHAI scores and these variables. The measures were equally good at predicting overall psychological well-being and life satisfaction. Although the GOHAI identified more oral functional and psychosocial impacts than the OHIP-14, neither was markedly superior to the other when used as discriminatory measures. However, the high prevalence of subjects with zero scores may compromise the ability of the OHIP-14 to detect within-subject change.     

Effect of prosthetic restoration on oral health‐related quality of life in patients with shortened dental arches: a multicentre study

The aim of this multicentre prospective study was to investigate the effect of prosthetic restoration for missing posterior teeth in patients with shortened dental arches (SDAs). SDA patients with 2–12 missing occlusal units (a pair of occluding premolars corresponds to one unit, and a pair of occluding molars corresponds to two units) were consecutively recruited from seven university‐based dental hospitals in Japan. Patients chose no replacement of missing teeth or prosthetic treatment with removable partial dentures (RPDs) or implant‐supported fixed partial dentures (IFPDs). Oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) was measured using the oral health impact profile (Japanese version – OHIP‐J) at baseline and follow‐up/post‐treatment evaluation. Of the 169 subjects who completed baseline evaluation, 125 subjects (mean age; 63·0 years) received follow‐up/post‐treatment evaluation. No‐treatment was chosen by 42% (53/125) of the subjects, and 58% (72/125) chose treatment with a RPD (n = 53) or an IFPD (n = 19). In the no‐treatment (NT) group, the mean OHIP summary score at baseline was similar to that at follow‐up evaluation (P = 0·69). In the treatment (TRT) group, the mean OHIP summary score decreased significantly after the RPD treatment (P = 0·002), and it tended to decrease, though not statistically significant (P = 0·18), after the IFPD treatment. The restoration of one occlusal unit was associated with a 1·2‐point decrease in OHIP summary score (P = 0·034). These results suggest that the replacement of missing posterior teeth with RPDs or IFPDs improved OHRQoL. Prosthetic restoration for SDAs may benefit OHRQoL in patients needing replacement of missing posterior teeth.     

口腔健康影响程度量表的验证研究

目的通过对口腔健康影响程度量表（OHIP-14中文版）的验证研究及其性质的考评，对该量表的信度、效度作出评价，探讨其在中国人群中进一步应用的可行性。方法按照国际生存质量评价（IQOLA）项目的标准程序，对OHIP-14进行翻译、回译、文化调适和改造，建立口腔健康影响程度量表。使用该量表和《口腔健康自我评价表》，对广东省部分地区年龄在18～65岁之间的居民应用多阶段简单随机抽样法，共抽取592个个体进行口腔健康相关生存质量调查，对调查结果进行统计学分析，考评量表的信度和效度。结果共有592位个体接受调查。回收有效问卷550份，其中数据缺失问卷38份。口腔健康影响程度量表内部一致性Cronbach’s α系数为0．93，条目与量表间的相关系数在0．53～0．71之间。因子分析提取的4个维度显示，口腔健康影响程度量表存在预想的连带关系和逻辑关系。量表得分与自我评价的口腔健康、自我感觉的治疗需要间呈显著正相关，相关系数分别为0．54、0．49（P〈0．0001）。结论口腔健康影响程度量表具有良好的信度、效度，其良好的心理测量学性质，为该量表在中国人群中的进一步推广应用提供了理论依据。     

Oral health-related quality of life in patients treated by implant-supported fixed dentures and removable partial dentures

Objectives: This study investigated the association between denture status [implant‐supported fixed dentures (IDs) and removable partial dentures (RPDs)] and oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL). Materials and methods: Consecutive patients with IDs and RPDs were recruited from the Prosthodontics Departments at Showa University and Tokyo Medical and Dental University. The Japanese version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐J‐49) was administered to each subject. For each OHIP‐J‐49 question, the subjects were asked to indicate the frequency with which they had experienced a dental problem during the last month. Responses were recorded on a 5 point Likert rating scale, with 0 being never and 4, very often. Summary scores were calculated and regression analyses conducted to investigate the association between denture status and OHIP‐J‐49 summary score. Results: In total 79 ID subjects (mean age±SD of 51.7±12.4 years, 44.3% men) and 109 RPD subjects (mean age of 66.5±8.6 years, 30% men) participated after giving informed consent. The regression analysis between the type of treatment and the OHIP‐J‐49 summary score revealed a significant association with a coefficient of 17.0 (Confidence interval, CI: 10.9–23.1). When age and duration of denture usage, which had significant associations with OHIP‐J‐49, were included in this model, the regression coefficient remained virtually unchanged at 17.4 (CI: 9.75–25.0), thus indicating little potential confounding by them. Conclusions: OHRQoL in patients with implant‐supported fixed dentures is generally less impaired than it is in those patients with RPDs. To cite this article :
Furuyama C, Takaba M, Inukai M, Mulligan R, Igarashi Y, Baba K. Oral health‐related quality of life in patients treated by implant‐supported fixed dentures and removable partial dentures.
Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 23 , 2012; 958–962
doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2011.02247.x     

Oral health-related quality of life in patients with dental anxiety

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the frequency of impaired oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with dental anxiety. METHODS: OHRQoL was measured with the German version of the 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) developed by Slade and Spencer (1994) in 173 adult patients with dental anxiety [Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) score 15 or above and Dental Fear Survey (DFS) score 60 or above]. The OHIP summary scores were characterized with an empirical cumulative distribution function and compared with the level of impaired OHRQoL in the general population (n = 2026, age: 16-79 years). In addition, OHIP item prevalences (responses 'fairly often'/'very often') were compared between patients and population subjects. The correlation between DAS, DFS and OHIP scores was calculated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: A median value of 1 and a 90th percentile value of 13 were observed for general population subjects. In contrast, patients with phobic dental anxiety had a median OHIP-14 of 21 and the 90th percentile of 40. All problems mentioned in the OHIP-14 were more prevalent in patients than in population subjects. The most frequently occurring items in patients were 'self-conscious', 'life in general was less satisfying', and 'feeling tense' with prevalences of 50% or greater. In contrast, these items had prevalences of only 1-3% in the general population. A low to moderate relationship between OHRQoL and both dental anxiety measures (DAS and DFS) was observed (r = 0.25/0.26, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with dental anxiety/fear suffer considerably from impaired OHRQoL and the degree of this impairment is related to the extent of dental anxiety/fear.     

Oral and general health-related quality of life with conventional and implant dentures

Implant overdentures and conventional prostheses have been compared in several trials using a variety of functional and oral health-related quality of life (OHQOL) outcomes. In this paper, we describe the impact of implant overdentures on general and OHQOL in seniors. OBJECTIVES: To compare the oral health-related and general quality of life of seniors (aged 65-75 years) who received either mandibular implant overdentures or conventional dentures. METHODS: Sixty edentulous patients were recruited. Thirty received mandibular overdentures retained by two implants (IOD) and a conventional maxillary denture, the other 30 subjects received new maxillary and mandibular conventional complete dentures (CD). All completed the 20-item version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-20) before treatment, then at two and 6 months after delivery of the dentures. The SF-36 general health questionnaire was completed at baseline and 6 months only. RESULTS: Pretreatment and 6-month data from 55 subjects were analyzed. Those who received the IODs had significantly better OHIP-20 total scores at 6 months. Results for IOD subjects were also superior in the functional limitation, physical pain, physical disability and psychological disability subscales. While no significant between group difference was found on the SF-36 health survey, significant pre-post-treatment differences within the IOD group were detected for the role emotional, vitality and the social function scales. CONCLUSIONS: Mandibular overdentures retained by two implants provide elderly patients with better OHQOL. General health-related quality of life improved in the implant group.     

Psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-short form

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to evaluate the measurement properties of the Brazilian version of the short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP14). METHODS: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study designed to assess the impact of toothache on quality of life during pregnancy. The sample consisted of 504 postpartum women (mean age 24 years; SD 6.2), most of whom had unsolved dental problems and belonged to low-income families. The questionnaire was administered in the form of interviews by two trained interviewers who also performed clinical examinations. Reliability was assessed in terms of internal consistency and stability. Construct validity was evaluated based on comparison of the total scores among groups according to: self-perceived and normative oral health care needs, self-perceived general and oral health status, presence of carious lesions and tooth loss. It was also hypothesized that the scores of OHIP14 and Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) would correlate with each other. RESULTS: Both test-retest stability and internal consistency, as measured by the intra-class correlation coefficient (0.87) and by Cronbach's alpha (0.91), proved to be adequate. Construct validity was confirmed as the correlation between OHIP14 scores with self-perceived general and oral health were in the expected direction, and the differences in scores of the groups formed according to the selected attributes were significant at values of P < or = 0.05 (Mann-Whitney test). Moreover, the correlation coefficient between OIDP and OHIP14 was 0.76 (rs). CONCLUSION: The Brazilian version of OHIP14 has good psychometric properties, which are similar to those of the original instrument.     

Perceived Need for Dental Care Among Dentate Older Individuals in Sri Lanka

The authors assessed the perceived need for dental care among 585 older individuals, of whom 235 received a clinical oral examination. Of the 235 participants, only 171 were dentate. The present analysis is limited to this group. Of these 171 dentate adults, 43 percent perceived a need for dental care. Of this sample section, 53 percent perceived a need for dentures. Age, perceived oral health status, presence of mobile teeth, three impact items of the Oral Health Impact Profile‐14 (OHIP‐14) scale—namely “had a painful aching in the mouth, had difficulty in eating and that the diet had been unsatisfactory due problems with teeth, mouth or dentures”–and the total OHIP‐14 score showed significant associations with perceived need for dental care in bi‐vartate analysis. Poor perceived oral health status emerged as the strongest predictor of perceived need for dental care in logistic regression.