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Caregiver Reported Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Young American Indian Children

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Abstract

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children experience high rates of dental decay, yet their pediatric oral health-related quality of life (POQL) has not been described. We measured POQL in AI children and compared it in children with reported excellent/very good/good versus fair/poor oral health status (OHS) and assessed association of OHS, child’s age, dental service utilization, and dental insurance on POQL scores. Caregivers of 143 AI (100 %), young (mean age 25.1 months) children reported their POQL score as 4.2 (scale 0–100, lower score indicates better POQL); OHS as excellent (35 %), very good (27 %), good (21 %), fair (14 %), and poor (3 %); and utilization of urgent dental services (12 %). Worse POQL was associated with worse OHS (p = 0.01). After adjustment, worse POQL was associated with increased reported use of urgent dental services (p = 0.004). POQL of young AI children was generally favorable but worsened with increased utilization of urgent dental services.

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Abbreviations

ACASI:

Audio computer-assisted self-interviewing

AI/AN:

American Indian/Alaska Native

ECC:

Early childhood caries

dmfs:

Decayed, missing, filled surfaces

OHS:

Oral health status

POQL:

Pediatric oral health-related quality of life

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Acknowledgments

Funding for the study was provided by the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research (U54 DE019259-03, Albino). We would like to thank the Oglala Sioux Pine Ridge Tribe as well as the participants who gave so graciously of their time. Finally, we are grateful for the technical assistance provided by Michelle Henshaw and Sharron Rich at Boston University.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Colorado Health Outcomes Programs, Children’s Outcomes Research, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 13199 E. Montview Blvd., Suite 300 F443, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA

    Patricia A. Braun & William G. Henderson

  2. Colorado School of Public Health, Center of Native American Oral Health Research, Aurora, CO, USA

    Kimberly E. Lind, Terry Batliner, Angela G. Brega & Judith Albino

  3. Children Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA

    Kristen Nadeau

  4. Children’s Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA

    Anne Wilson

Authors
  1. Patricia A. Braun
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  2. Kimberly E. Lind
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  3. Terry Batliner
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  4. Angela G. Brega
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  5. William G. Henderson
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  6. Kristen Nadeau
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  7. Anne Wilson
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  8. Judith Albino
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patricia A. Braun.

Additional information

The work described in this manuscript has not been published before is not under consideration for publication anywhere else has been approved by all co-authors, the Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and the Oglala Sioux Tribal Research Review Board and Aberdeen Area Indian Health Service Institutional Review Board.

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Braun, P.A., Lind, K.E., Batliner, T. et al. Caregiver Reported Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Young American Indian Children. J Immigrant Minority Health 16, 951–958 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9870-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9870-0

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