Dimensional Structure of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale

Background:

Detecting the latent dimensions of quality of life as affected by oral diseases is essential for promoting oral health in children. This study aimed to test the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) via an appropriate method to detect its dimensions of quality of life as affected by oral diseases.

Methods:

An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in Shiraz, Iran, between 2014 and 2015. A multistage stratified design was used to select 830 parents or the guardians of primary school children aged six years. The Farsi version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (F-ECOHIS) was used to evaluate the children’s oral health-related quality of life. The parents were interviewed to collect data on ECOHIS. Mplus, version 7, was employed for descriptive and analytical analyses in the present study. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed to extract and verify the latent dimensions of ECOHIS.

Results:

Out of the 830 invited parents or guardians, 801 participated in this study. The mean ECOHIS score was 21.95±7.45. The mean child impact score and the mean family impact score were 14.25±5.72 and 7.70±3.62, respectively. EFA yielded a 3-factor model: symptom and function, social interaction, and family impact. CFA confirmed the 3-dimensional model (root mean square error of approximation=0.045). The fit indices of the 1- and 2-dimensional models (the child and family domains) were not within the acceptable range.

Conclusion:

F-ECOHIS is a 3-dimensional model rather than the hypothetical 6-dimensional model. ECOHIS appears to be a useful scale for measuring the multidimensional impact of oral diseases in children.

Evaluation of the ECOHIS and the CARIES-QC among an Australian "Aboriginal" population

PURPOSE

An evaluation of the reliability and validity of two child oral health-related quality of life (COHRQoL) measures among Australian Aboriginal children who participated in a randomised trial was undertaken.

METHODS

Study participants completed the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and the Caries Impacts and Experiences Questionnaire for Children (CARIES-QC). The questionnaires were completed a second time to test the scales' test-retest reliability. Internal consistency, convergent and discriminant validity were evaluated through Cronbach's alpha, correlation of the scale scores with the global oral health evaluation, and comparison of scale scores among children with varying levels of caries experience, respectively.

RESULTS

Worse COHRQoL was reported by parents who rated their child's oral health as poor and by children who rated their teeth as being a lot of problem. Cronbach's alpha for the child impact section (CIS), family impact section (FIS), total ECOHIS score and the total CARIES-QC scale were 0.88, 0.81, 0.91 and 0.84, respectively. Spearman's correlations between scale scores and global oral health ratings of the CIS, FIS, total ECOHIS and the CARIES-QC were 0.42, 0.34, 0.45 and 0.70, respectively, p < 0.001. The Kruskal-Wallis test of scale scores with grouped caries experience was statistically significant, p < 0.005. Test-retest reliabilities for the ECOHIS were CIS ICC = 0.91, FIS ICC = 0.89, total ECOHIS ICC = 0.93 and for the CARIES-QC, ICC = 0.61.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the ECOHIS and the CARIES-QC were reliable and valid scales for use among an Australian Aboriginal population for assessing COHRQoL of preschool children.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ACTRN12616001537448, date of registration-08 November 2016.

Validation of the Hindi version of the early childhood oral health impact scale among 3-5-year-old preschool children in Rohtak city, Haryana

BACKGROUND

The early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS) has been developed for assessing oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in the preschool children and translated and validated in different languages to conform to their cultures. This tool has not been validated in Hindi for use among Indian preschool children till now. Hence, the present study was undertaken to assess the validity of the Hindi version of the ECOHIS among 3-5-year-old preschool children in Rohtak city, Haryana.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Hindi version of the ECOHIS was developed through standardized forward-backward linguistic translation method. It was tested for validity and reliability among 469 parents and their children after obtaining informed consent. Construct validity of the measure was assessed by correlating ECOHIS score to dental caries experience (deft). For internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha was determined. A subsample of the parents repeated the ratings of the measure to enable test-retest reliability assessments.

RESULTS

Construct validity was r = 0.298. Reliability of the questionnaire was 0.873 (Cronbach's alpha), and test-retest reliability as assessed by intraclass correlation value was 0.91.

CONCLUSIONS

The Hindi version of the ECOHIS is a valid instrument for assessing OHRQoL in preschool children.

Impact of Early Childhood Caries on Oral Health-related Quality of Life Among 4-6-year-old Children Attending Delhi Schools: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction

Oral diseases like early childhood caries (ECC), trauma, teething pain, and eruption disturbances are widely prevalent among the 4-6-year subgroup of population and are considered a public health problem worldwide.

Aim

To assess the impact of ECC on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among 4-6-year-old children attending schools in Delhi.

Materials and methods

A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out to assess the impact of ECC on OHRQoL among 4-6-year old children. Data were collected by a combination of the structured questionnaire of sociodemographic details and early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS). The clinical examination was conducted for the assessment of dentition status and pufa index according to WHO criteria 2013. Statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

The prevalence of ECC was found to be 20% among preschoolers which was lower among younger children and increased with age. The ECOHIS responses reported that items related to pain, irritation, difficulty in eating some foods, and difficulty to drink hot or cold beverages, felt guilty, feeling of frustration, and been upset were the most frequent on the child impact section (CIS).

How to cite this article

Jaggi A, Marya CM, et al. Impact of Early Childhood Caries on Oral Health-related Quality of Life Among 4-6-year-old Children Attending Delhi Schools: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(3):215-221.

Comparative Assessment of Oral Health Related Quality of Life of Children Before and After Full Mouth Rehabilitation under General Anaesthesia and Local Anaesthesia

INTRODUCTION

Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is an aggressive form of caries in a child who is 71 months of age or younger. If the child is cooperative, the treatment may be completed under Local Anaesthesia (LA). General Anaesthesia (GA) is considered if the child is uncooperative, medically compromised or if the parents are unable to return for regular visits and requests treatment under GA. Improved Oral health Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) has been reported after dental treatment under GA.

AIM

To assess and compare the improvements in OHRQoL of children who have undergone dental treatment under GA or LA. To study the preoperative severity of events that may prompt the parents to consider treatment under GA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Parents of paediatric patients who had to undergo full mouth rehabilitation under GA and LA were selected for this study. Parents were given a questionnaire to evaluate OHRQoL of children before and after completion of treatment. Preoperative and postoperative assessments were analyzed using paired t-test.

RESULTS

Dental disease was found to have a significant impact on children's overall well being. There was a considerable improvement with relation to eating preferences, amount of food intake, sleep and pain relief before and after dental treatment. There was no significant difference if the child was treated under GA or LA.

CONCLUSION

Severe caries affects the quality of life of preschool children and improvement on quality of life is significant regardless of treatment performed under GA or LA.