Validity of self-reported periodontal status in the Florida dental care study.
BACKGROUND
Our objectives were to assess the validity of self-reported periodontal status by quantifying the 1) concordance between self-reported and clinical status at baseline; and 2) validity using a multivariable regression of self-reported periodontal status and sociodemographic status.


METHODS
The Florida Dental Care Study was a prospective study that used a population-based, stratified random sample of 873 persons in four counties of north Florida who were > or = 45 years of age at baseline. Analyses used baseline data derived from in-person interviews and clinical periodontal examinations. Multivariable logistic regressions were done to quantify the relationships between the outcome (clinically determined periodontal attachment level) and predictors (self-reported dental symptoms, self-reported dental behaviors, sociodemographic circumstances, and clinically determined number of remaining teeth).


RESULTS
Self-rated "gum" health and presence of a loose tooth were the only periodontal measures that were associated significantly with clinically determined periodontal status in multivariable regressions. The validity of self-reported periodontal status improved when the threshold of severity was increased. Significant racial differences in the validity of self-reports were evident.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-reported measures of periodontal status were related to clinically measured periodontal attachment loss and warranted classifying their validity as "moderate" and useful for some circumstances.
Gilbert
Gregg H
GH
Department of Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0007, USA. ghg@uab.edu
Litaker
Mark S
MS
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010808:Physical Examination; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000453:epidemiology; D014086:Tooth Mobility / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data