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Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
A German version of the GOHAI
Alexander J Hassel1, Claudia Rolko, Ulrich Koke
1Poliklinik für Zahnärztliche Prothetik, Heidelberg, Germany. alexander.hassel@med
Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology
|January 22, 2008
Summary
The German Geriatric/General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) is reliable and valid for assessing oral health-related quality of life in older adults. This validated tool aids in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Oral Health Assessment
- Psychometric Validation of Health Indices
- Quality of Life Measurement in Elderly Populations
Background:
- Assessing oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in the elderly is crucial for comprehensive geriatric care.
- Existing oral health indices require validation for specific linguistic and cultural contexts, such as German.
- The Geriatric/General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) is a widely used tool for OHRQoL assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To translate and validate a German version of the Geriatric/General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI).
- To assess the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the German GOHAI in an elderly population.
- To establish the German GOHAI as a suitable instrument for OHRQoL research in older adults.
Main Methods:
- A forward-backward translation process was employed for the German GOHAI.
- Convergent validity was assessed against the OHIP-14, and group validity was examined in 218 elderly participants (mean age 73).
- Reliability was evaluated through internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), item correlations, and test-retest stability (n=36, mean age 77). Responsiveness was tested pre- and post-treatment (n=21, mean age 63).
Main Results:
- The German GOHAI demonstrated sufficient convergent validity (r = -0.76 with OHIP-14) and group validity.
- High internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.92) and good item-scale correlations indicated index homogeneity.
- Test-retest reliability was strong (r = 0.84 for summary score), and the GOHAI score significantly improved post-denture treatment, confirming responsiveness.
Conclusions:
- The German version of the GOHAI is a reliable, valid, and responsive measure of oral health-related quality of life.
- This validated instrument is suitable for use in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies involving elderly populations.
- The German GOHAI facilitates accurate OHRQoL assessment in older adults, contributing to improved geriatric oral healthcare research.
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