Validation of the Spanish version of the Franciscan Hospital for Children Oral Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaire

Oral health-related quality of life after dental treatment in patients with intellectual disability

BACKGROUND

The influence of dental treatment on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) has rarely been evaluated in patients with intellectual disability (ID) through validated questionnaires. The aim of this study was to estimate the changes on OHRQOL in patients with ID after the implementation of an institutional dental treatment program under general anesthesia using the Franciscan Hospital for Children Oral Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaire (FHCOHRQOL-Q).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted on 85 patients (mean age=24.85 years) classified according to DSM-V whose parents/caregivers completed the FHC-OHRQOL-Q. We analyzed the changes in the questionnaire's overall score and its dimensions from pre-treatment to 12-months of follow-up, considering effect sizes and minimal important differences estimated by the standard measurement error. The impact of clinical and therapeutic factors was evaluated using univariate and multiple linear regression analysis (p<0.05).

RESULTS

Significant improvement of OHRQOL was found after dental treatment in oral symptoms (p0.001), daily life problems (p=0.018), parent's perceptions (p=0.013) and FHCOHRQOL-Q´s overall score (p=0.001). OHRQOL changes exhibited an intermediate magnitude (0.38-0.21) as estimated by effect sizes. Changes in oral symptoms showed positive correlation with DMFT index (r=0.375, p=0.002), decayed teeth (r=0.244, p=0.036), dental extractions (r=0.424, p<0.001) and number of treatments (r=0.255, p=0.019). The improvement was greater in patients with 4 decayed teeth (p=0.049) and undergoing 2 dental extractions (p=0.002). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that dental extractions (p<0.001) and DMFT index (p=0.028) were significantly related to oral symptom improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental treatment under general anesthesia showed a positive effect on the overall FHC-OHRQOL-Q score and most of its dimensions. At 12-months of follow-up, the improvement of oral symptoms was significantly associated with DMFT index, decayed teeth, dental extractions and number of treatments. In our clinical setting, the implementation of a dental treatment program enhanced the OHRQOL of patients with ID.

Quality of life in early age Spanish children treated for cleft lip and/or palate: a case-control study approach

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this study were to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 4-7-year-old children treated for cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) compared to healthy controls and to estimate a possible association with cleft type, gender, age, and surgical re-interventions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 171 children with CL/P (mean age 5.7 years) and 186 healthy controls (mean age 5.5 years) were included in the study. Sixty-four (37.4%) children experienced both cleft lip and palate, 56 (32.8%) cleft lip only, and 51 (29.8%) cleft palate only. HRQoL in children was assessed by Kiddy-KINDL and COHIP-14 questionnaires and in parents by KINDL-p. Total score and dimensions of each questionnaire were compared between cleft children, their parents, and controls.

RESULTS

The total scores and dimension scores of Kiddy-KINDL showed similar values between CL/P and control groups, except for "self-esteem" dimension (p = 0.036). The comparison of Kiddy-KINDL and KINDL-p showed a statistically significant total score (82.11 vs. 80.44, p = 0.047). The CL/P group presented significantly worse values with respect to controls in total score of COHIP-14 (10.53 vs 5.01, p < 0.001) and in all its dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS

Children treated for CL/P had a negative impact on HRQoL at early age compared to controls. Significant differences were found in the psychological and functional dimensions related to lip and palatal affectation, respectively. Parents reported significantly worse scores than their children. HRQoL measurement provided valuable complementary information to better inform to parents and make clinical decisions in children with CL/P at early age.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Our findings suggested that Spanish children between 4 and 7 years of age with a history of surgically treated CL/P experienced a poorer HRQoL when compared with their non-cleft peers.