Differential item functioning related to ethnicity in an oral health‐related quality of life measure

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 435–441 Objective. To assess whether an oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL)measure showed differential item functioning (DIF) by ethnicity. Methods. A simple random sample of 12‐ and 13‐year‐old schoolchildren enrolled in the Taranaki District Health Board’s school dental service, New Zealand. Each child (n = 430) completed the Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ_11‐14) in the dental clinic waiting room, prior to a dental examination. The dataset included age, gender, ethnicity, and deprivation status. The general principle of the analytic plan was that equal scores from each CPQ_11‐14 item were expected from both non‐Mäori and Mäori groups regardless of their ethnic group. Ordinal logistic regression was performed. The dependent variables were the CPQ_11‐14 items. The ethnicity group and each CPQ_11‐14 domain score were the independent variables. Non‐uniform DIF was assessed through adding an interaction term for each CPQ_11‐14 sub‐scale. Results. Non‐uniform DIF was found in two items, one in the Functional Limitations sub‐scale and another in the Social Well‐being sub‐scale. Uniform DIF was found in one item of the Emotional Well‐being sub‐scale. Conclusion. Both non‐uniform and uniform DIF by ethnicity was found in three of 37 items of the CPQ_11‐14 questionnaire, showing it is important to perform DIF analysis when applying OHRQoL measures.     

A New Factor in the Blood of Patients with Peptic Ulcer

Previous work on a factor in the blood of patients with peptic ulcer which contracts smooth muscle was confirmed and the work extended to investigation of the activity of blood fractions. Whole heparinized blood and its fractions were tested on a strip of guinea pig ileum and height of contraction and latent period were used as criteria of activity. Whole heparinized blood of ulcer patients had significantly higher activity than that of normal controls. Differences between the fractions of ulcer patients and controls were less significant. With the lysed buffy coat, however, while the differences between the height of contraction between the groups did not differ statistically, the speed of the reaction (shorter latent period) was significantly greater in the ulcer patients. The cellular alterations causing this response are unknown.     

Perinatal Mortality in Infants of Two Different Ethnic Groups

Jefferson T O (Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, Hampshire),and Taylor V M. Perinatal mortality in infants of two differentethnic groups. Family Practice 1985; 2: 175–176. In a retrospective survey of l433 Chinese and ll30 Gurkha(Nepali)births in an Armed Services environment in Hong Kong, neonatalmortality rates were analysed according to birthweight. The data thus obtained were compared with similar data frompublished surveys with the aim of ascertaining any differencesin mortality rates.     

A denture identification program for nursing home residents

Editor's note: This brief paper describes a simple, yet important procedure that brings students into meaningful contact with elderly patients in a nursing home environment. It is most important that students be afforded opportunity for exposure to living conditions and care facilities for the elderly. Readers are invited to express their thoughts (not necessarily about denture identification techniques).