An evaluation of a measure of subjective oral health status in the UK.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the performance in the United Kingdom of an instrument to measure the subjective impact of oral conditions; that is, the functional restrictions and symptoms, as well as the disability and disadvantage experienced as a result of oral problems.


METHODS
The instrument tested was the Subjective Oral Health Status Indicators (SOHSI) that consists of a battery of eight subjective indicators and which has been developed and tested in Canada. A questionnaire containing these indicators was administered by post to two random samples of two hundred and fifty residents aged 60-65 years, one from an affluent and one from a deprived electoral ward in Liverpool.


METHODS
Reliability was assessed as test-retest, and internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. Construct and concurrent validity were assessed by determining the association between the subjective indicators and dentate status, reported satisfaction and overall subjective assessment of oral health. The constituent concepts of the theoretical model on which the instrument is based were tested by correlating the subjective indicators and the self-reported number of teeth.


CONCLUSIONS
The instrument was found to be reliable both in terms of test-retest reliability and internal consistency. It also demonstrated satisfactory construct and concurrent validity. Correlations between self-reported number of teeth and the subjective indicators confirm the strength of the theoretical model on which the instrument was based and provide further evidence of the content validity of this composite measure.
Tickle
M
M
Liverpool Health Authority, UK.
Craven
R
R
Blinkhorn
A S
AS
D000368:Aged; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D011897:Random Allocation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data