Oral Health Related Quality of Life among Iranian children: Part I - Validity, reliability, prevalence and severity assessment of daily impact factors

Given the current need for studies evaluating oral health related quality of life among the Iranian children, this study was designed to test the validity and reliability of a Persian version of Child-OIDP index and also evaluate the prevalence and impact of oral disorders on the quality of life of 11-14-year-old Iranian children. In this cross-sectional study, after translation of Child-OIDP instrument into Persian language, the psychometric properties of this index were evaluated in terms of face, content and construct validity. In addition, the internal and test-retest reliability were evaluated. A sample of 384 Iranian children aged 11-14-years old completed the instrument via a face-to-face interview. Each interview was followed by a clinical examination as well as completion of a self-administered questionnaire providing the information on demographic and oral health behaviors. The Persian version of Child-OIDP demonstrated excellent validity and reliability. The index showed significant associations between perceived oral treatment needs and perceived satisfaction regarding their oral cavity (P<0.001). ICC was 0.784, and Cronbach’s alpha was 0.59. About 54% of children reported dental disorders over the past 3 months that impacted on daily performances, according to Child-OIDP index. The most prevalent affected activities were eating and oral hygiene performance. The most prevalent oral disorder leading to impact were sensitivity tooth and gingival bleeding. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the Persian version of Child-OIDP index is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluation of oral health-related quality of life as applied to Iranian children. The prevalence of oral impacts was moderate. The pattern of impacts differed according to the type of self-perceived oral problem.