Impact of Oral Health on Children's Daily Life in Tanzania
Author Information
Author(s): Mbawalla Hawa S, Mtaya Matilda, Masalu Joyce R, Brudvik Pongsri, Astrom Anne N
Primary Institution: University of Bergen
Hypothesis
The study aims to compare the discriminative ability of the generic and condition-specific Child-OIDP instruments in assessing oral health impacts among schoolchildren in Tanzania.
Conclusion
The condition-specific Child-OIDP is more effective than the generic version in distinguishing between children with and without dental caries and malocclusion.
Supporting Evidence
- The generic Child-OIDP effectively discriminated between children with and without dental caries and periodontal problems.
- The condition-specific Child-OIDP showed stronger discrimination for dental caries and malocclusion compared to the generic version.
- The study included a large sample size of schoolchildren from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds in Tanzania.
Takeaway
This study looked at how dental problems affect kids' daily lives in Tanzania, finding that specific questions about dental issues are better at showing the impact than general questions.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study involving oral examinations and questionnaires completed by schoolchildren in Arusha and Dar es Salaam.
Potential Biases
Potential social desirability bias in responses, especially in younger participants.
Limitations
The study groups were not age and sex matched, and there may be selection bias due to the sampling methods.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 1077 schoolchildren from Arusha (mean age 14.9 years) and 1601 from Dar es Salaam (mean age 13.0 years), with varying proportions of boys and girls.
Statistical Information
P-Value
5.4
Confidence Interval
95% CI 1.3-1.9
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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