Using patient self-report data to evaluate orofacial surgical outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
This study analyzes results of 336 patients treated for mandible fractures at King/Drew Medical Center in South Central Los Angeles, California from August 1996 to December 2001. Subjects were enrolled in a prospective study to evaluate the association between patient's subjective evaluation and objective clinical evaluations on three surgical outcome measures following orofacial surgery.


METHODS
Subjects were assessed at four time periods--hospital discharge, 10 days post-discharge, 1 month post-discharge and 6 months post-discharge. Three outcome measures were utilized to represent perceived health and oral health-related quality of life--General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI); Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5); and a single-item self-reported health status measure.


RESULTS
GOHAI scores at 1 month (mean=31.5, SD=9.5) were not substantially higher than at 10 days (mean=28.6, SD=8.8), but scores did improve substantially by 6 months (mean=42.6, SD=10.6). Mean mental health scores ranged from 17.7 at 10 days to 18.0 at 1 month and 18.6 at 6 months. Mean self-reported health status score were approximately 2.2 at all recalls, describing health as 'good.' A longitudinal growth curve analysis of GOHAI scores over four time periods indicated a significantly higher average intercept for the maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) treatment group (29.67) than in the rigid internal fixation (RIF) treatment group (25.38). Meanwhile, the increase in GOHAI scores over time was significantly greater in the RIF group than in the MMF group, resulting in scores being comparable between groups after 6 months.


CONCLUSIONS
By implication, patients with MMF self-report fewer problems in the early days after placement of the intra-arch wire compared with patients with RIF.
Atchison
Kathryn A
KA
UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1668, USA. kathya@dent.ucla.edu
Shetty
Vivek
V
Belin
Thomas R
TR
Der-Martirosian
Claudia
C
Leathers
Richard
R
Black
Edward
E
Wang
Jianming
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000523:psychology; D017102:Fracture Healing / Q000502:physiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D019248:Jaw Fixation Techniques / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008603:Mental Health; D009909:Oral Health; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome