Translation and validation of the Arabic version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI).

Our aim was to translate the original English version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) into Arabic and assess its validity and reliability for use among people in North Jordan. After translation into Arabic and back-translation to check the translation quality, a total of 288 participants completed the Arabic version of the GOHAI questionnaire. Individual GOHAI items were recoded and summed as originally recommended. The questionnaire sought information about socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported perception of general and oral health. Clinical examination included assessment of periodontal status, and number of decayed teeth, missing teeth, filled teeth and crowned teeth. Reliability, internal consistency, and concurrent, convergent and discriminant validity of GOHAI scores were examined. Mean GOHAI score was 40.9 (SD = 10.6, range: 12 to 60). Cronbach's alpha for the GOHAI score was 0.88, indicating a high degree of internal consistency and homogeneity between the GOHAI items. The test-retest correlation coefficient for add-GOHAI scores was 0.72, indicating good stability. Add-GOHAI scores increased with poorer perceived general and oral health. Convergent validity, construct validity and discriminant validity of the GOHAI were demonstrated. The Arabic translation of the GOHAI demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability when used for people in North Jordan. It could therefore be used as a valuable instrument for measuring oral health-related quality of life for people in this region.