title: Oral health screening: feasibility and reliability of the oral health assessment tool as used by speech pathologists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and reliability of the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT) as used by speech pathologists, to become part of a comprehensive clinical swallowing examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentre study in 132 elderly subjects was conducted by speech pathologists. The inter-rater, test-retest and intra-rater reliabilities of the OHAT were assessed in R statistics, version 3.0.1. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used for the total OHAT, and Kappa statistics were used for the individual categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total OHAT scores showed good inter-rater (ICC = 0.96), intra-rater (ICC ≥ 0.95) and test-retest (ICC ≥ 0.78) agreement. The inter-rater Kappa statistics were almost perfect (κ ≥ 0.83) for seven of the eight individual categories of the OHAT and perfect for 'dental pain' (κ = 1.00). The test-retest Kappa statistics indicated excellent agreement for 'natural teeth' and 'dentures' (κ ≥ 0.86). The intra-rater per cent agreement was excellent for all categories except 'gums and tissues'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to examine the feasibility and reliability of the OHAT as used by speech pathologists. As the results showed both good feasibility and reliability, the OHAT has the potential to add to the clinical swallowing examination. However, future research investigating actual referral strategies and adaptation of care strategies following assessment with OHAT is needed.
authors: VIVES University College, Bruges, Belgium.|Department Speech-Language Pathology, AZ Delta Hospital, Menen, Belgium.|University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Ingeborg S
authors: IS
authors: Simpelaere
authors: Department of Otolaryngology and Rehabilitation Centre for Communication Disorders, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Gwen
authors: G
authors: Van Nuffelen
authors: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Saint-Pierre University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Vanderwegen
authors: Department of Scientific Coordination and Biostatistics, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.|Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Kristien
authors: K
authors: Wouters
authors: Department of Otolaryngology and Rehabilitation Centre for Communication Disorders, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.|Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: De Bodt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003753:Dental Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013066:Speech-Language Pathology
keywords: Dental care; elderly; feasibility; oral health screening; reliability