title: Can the Child Health Utility 9D measure be useful in oral health research?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cost-utility analysis using the quality-adjusted life years (QALY) as an outcome measure to inform healthcare resource allocation is becoming more common. The Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) enables the calculation of utility values in children. Children were involved throughout its development to ensure it is child centred.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the CHU9D is responsive to the changing components of the dmfs+DMFS index score in children receiving dental care over a 1-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample comprised children aged 6 to 9 years old who were enrolled in a split-mouth, placebo-controlled randomised controlled trial. All children had a comprehensive clinical examination including radiographs and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using the CHU9D at baseline and 1 year. Descriptive statistics was followed by bivariate analyses before effect sizes were calculated. A negative binomial model was fitted to assess whether the utility score predicted the components of decayed and filled teeth (combined primary and permanent teeth).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty (92%) children completed the CHU9D at baseline and follow-up. They presented with a mean baseline d3mfs+D3MFS of 6.7 (SD = 7.1), which rose to 7.3 (SD = 7.0) at follow-up. The mean CHU9D score improved from 0.88 to 0.90 from baseline to follow-up. No statistically significant relationships were found between caries status and the CHU9D score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CHU9D was found to be unresponsive to the changing components of dental caries experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Sciences, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Lyndie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Foster Page
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Sciences, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Deanna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Beckett
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Sciences, Sir John Walsh Research Institute, School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: W Murray
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Thomson
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D000067576:Child Health; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries; D018865:Dental Research; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years