BRIEF TOOL FOR MEASURING ORAL HEALTH IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES

MANY VALID AND RELIABLE SCREENING TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE IN EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH. THESE TOOLS ARE USUALLY BRIEF AND AMENABLE TO DIFFERENT MODES OF ADMINISTRATION (E.G., MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE, TELEPHONE, IN-PERSON INTERVIEW) AND CAN BE EASILY INCORPORATED IN FIELD STUDIES. THE ABSENCE OF SUCH A TOOL TO BROADLY (NOT CLINICALLY) MEASURE ORAL HEALTH STATUS MEANSTHAT ORAL HEALTH IS OFTEN OMITTED FROM MAJOR STUDIES IN EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH. THE MAJOR GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE A BRIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIC INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE ORAL HEALTH STATUS. THIS DELIBERATELY BRIEF (IDEALLY 10 TO 15 QUESTIONS) ORAL HEALTH SCREENING TOOL CAN BE ADDED TO EXISTING INTERVIEW FORMATS AND COULD BECOME PART OF MAJOR REGIONAL AND NATIONAL RESEARCH EFFORTS. THE INSTRUMENT WILLFACILITATE THE INTEGRATION OF DENISTRY WITH MAINSTREAM MEASURES IN EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH. THE PRELIMINARY VERSION OF THE TOOL WILL BE EVALUATED IN SMALL FOCUS GROUPS OF EPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND CLINICIANS. A REVISED VERSION WILL BE SENT TO A SAMPLE OF DENTAL RESEARCHERS AND CLINICIANS TO SOLICIT OPINIONS ON ITS CONTENT VALIDITY. THE TOOL WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY TELEPHONE TO A SMALL SAMPLE OF ADULTS. SCORES FROM THE TOOLWILL BE CORRELATED WITH THE RESULTS OF CLINICAL ASSESSMENT TO PILOT TEST ITS VALIDITY. THE REFINED, FINAL VERSION WILLBE FIELD TESTED IN PHASE II OF THE PROJECT.