Use of an Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life Instrument to Measure Unmet Dental Care Needs in Adults With Inherited Bleeding Disorders
Miguel A. Escobar, Megan M. Ullman, Joanna Larson, Michael M. Chan, Marisela TrujilloABSTRACT
Introduction
Preventive dental care is vital for individuals with bleeding disorders to reduce the need for potentially invasive procedures. Although dental care is a mandated function of U.S. federally supported hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs), access to dental care is widely variable. Lack of both dental insurance and appropriately trained professionals restricts access to services.
Aims
The goals of this study were to estimate prevalence of unmet dental care need in an urban HTC and examine the feasibility of using the Oral Health Inventory Profile (OHIP‐14) instrument to screen adult patients for poor oral health.
Methods
The OHIP‐14 survey was administered during comprehensive clinics. Chart reviews gathered patient demographic information and treatment plan after oral examination.
Results
238 adults with haemophilia A or B, or von Willebrand disease completed the OHIP‐14. Participant mean age was 34.6 years and 80% were male. A total of 66 individuals (28%) reported OHIP‐14 scores of ≥5, indicating diminished oral health‐related quality of life. Upon oral exam, 56 (24%) of participants required at least one dental procedure. 19 participants needed 4–11 procedures; an additional 18 individuals needed ≥12 procedures. OHIP‐14 scores were significantly associated with ethnicity ( p = 0.007), type of insurance ( p = 0.004) and number of procedures needed ( p = 0.001). OHIP‐14 scores were moderately positively correlated with the number of dental procedures needed ( r = 0.58, p = 0.001) and moderately negatively correlated with health‐related quality of life ( r = −0.299, p = 0.001).
Conclusion
The OHIP‐14 is a potentially useful tool for HTC clinicians interested in determining dental care needs among adult patients.