title: The impact of dental caries and trauma in children on family quality of life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of children's dental caries (DC) and traumatic dental injuries (TDI) on parents' quality of life (QoL), adjusted by family income.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of 219 children aged 5 and 6 years answered the Family Impact Scale (FIS) on their perception of QoL and data about income. Three calibrated dentists examined the severity of DC according to decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth index, and children were categorized into: 0 = caries free; 1-5 = low severity; and ≥ 6 = high severity. TDI were classified into uncomplicated and complicated injuries. QoL was measured through FIS items and total score, and Poisson regression was used to associate the variables with the outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severity of DC showed a negative impact on the total score and subscales on parental/family activities, parental emotions and financial burden (P < 0.001). TDI showed a negative impact on total score and in some FIS items. The multivariate-adjusted model showed that only the increase in the severity of children's DC (RR = 3.19; 95% CI = 2.36, 4.31; P < 0.001) was associated with a greater negative impact on parents' QoL, while high family income was a protective factor (RR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.48, 0.95; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The severity of children's DC has a negative impact on parents' QoL, whereas TDI do not. A lower family income might have a negative impact on parents' QoL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, Dental School, University of São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. jennyaa@usp.br
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abanto
authors.forename: Saul Martins
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.forename: Daniela Prócida
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Raggio
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Celiberti
authors.forename: Janaína Merli
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Aldrigui
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bönecker
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*