M Freire1, S R Graça1, S Dias2,3, S Mendes4,5. 1. Faculdade de Medicina Dentária, Unidade de Investigação E Ciências Orais E Biomédicas (UICOB), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. 2. Estatística, ciTechCare - Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology, Polytechnic of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal. 3. School of Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Leiria, Portugal. 4. Faculdade de Medicina Dentária, Unidade de Investigação E Ciências Orais E Biomédicas (UICOB), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. soniaborralho@campus.ul.pt. 5. Faculdade de Medicina Dentária da Universidade de Lisboa, Rua Teresa Ambrósio, Cidade Universitária, 1600-277, Lisbon, Portugal. soniaborralho@campus.ul.pt.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To study Oral Health related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of pre-school children and its associated factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with sample data collected through an on-line questionnaire to a non-probabilistic sample. The questionnaire included the Portuguese version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and questions about sociodemographic characteristics, oral health behaviours, and reported oral health of the child. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests and Linear regression (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The sample consisted of 1475 parents of pre-school children (3-5 years-old), residing in Portugal. The mean ECOHIS total score was 1.5 (sd = 3.4). In the bivariate analysis the child's age, starting toothbrushing after one year of age, frequent intake of sugary food and drinks, previous appointment with an oral health professional, all reported of oral health problems, and a negative perception of oral health were negatively associated with OHRQoL (p < 0,05). In the regression model the factors that most contributed to a worse quality of life were dental caries and abscess, contributing to an ECOHIS average increase of 2.56 and 3.34, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The studied population presented a good OHRQoL, with the item related to pain being the most relevant for the ECOHIS score. Worst OHRQoL was found in older children, whose parents negatively rated the children's oral health and with reported dental caries, trauma, and abscess.
PURPOSE: To study Oral Health related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) of pre-school children and its associated factors. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with sample data collected through an on-line questionnaire to a non-probabilistic sample. The questionnaire included the Portuguese version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and questions about sociodemographic characteristics, oral health behaviours, and reported oral health of the child. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests and Linear regression (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The sample consisted of 1475 parents of pre-school children (3-5 years-old), residing in Portugal. The mean ECOHIS total score was 1.5 (sd = 3.4). In the bivariate analysis the child's age, starting toothbrushing after one year of age, frequent intake of sugary food and drinks, previous appointment with an oral health professional, all reported of oral health problems, and a negative perception of oral health were negatively associated with OHRQoL (p < 0,05). In the regression model the factors that most contributed to a worse quality of life were dental caries and abscess, contributing to an ECOHIS average increase of 2.56 and 3.34, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The studied population presented a good OHRQoL, with the item related to pain being the most relevant for the ECOHIS score. Worst OHRQoL was found in older children, whose parents negatively rated the children's oral health and with reported dental caries, trauma, and abscess.
Authors: Jessica K Knorst; Camila S Sfreddo; Gabriela de F Meira; Fabrício B Zanatta; Mario V Vettore; Thiago M Ardenghi Journal: Community Dent Oral Epidemiol Date: 2020-12-28 Impact factor: 3.383