title: Questionnaire vs clinical surveys: the right choice?--A cross-sectional comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the practical value of using questionnaires (self perceived assessment) as compared with clinical examinations (normative assessment) and to evaluate the role of socioeconomic status and implications of the results in understanding the public perception of oral health.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional single-blind study. A purposive sample of 860 bank employees of Belgaum city, India, were asked to fill in a close-ended questionnaire inquiring about their socioeconomic status, dental, periodontal health levels and treatment needs. Clinical examinations, employing the WHO dentition status and Community Periodontal Index, were performed to determine normative status and needs. Perceived and normative assessments were compared for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The kappa values ranged from 0 (treatment needs) to 0.67 (for prosthesis). The degree of agreement with the following kappa values and sensitivity was seen in filled teeth (0.52, 60%), missing teeth (0.62, 83.8%), and prosthesis (0.67, 58.3%). However, the disagreement was seen with all other questions with average kappa value of 0.20.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-assessment questionnaires were of low value in evaluating dental, periodontal health status and treatment needs in the study subjects. Findings reflect a low level of awareness that may influence care-seeking behavior and socioeconomic status has a clear role to play in dental health perception.
authors: Public health Dentistry, Teerthankar Dental College and Research Center, Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. aswincomm@gmail.com
authors: Aswini Y
authors: AY
authors: Balappanavar
authors: Varun
authors: V
authors: Sardana
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Nagesh
authors: Anil V
authors: AV
authors: Ankola
authors: Pradnya
authors: P
authors: Kakodkar
authors: Mamata
authors: M
authors: Hebbal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003753:Dental Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012016:Reference Values; D016353:Self-Examination; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult