Developing abbreviated OHIP versions for use with TMD patients

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Psychometrics
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) significantly impacts patients' quality of life.
• Accurate measurement of oral health impacts is crucial for clinical assessment and research in TMD.
• The Dutch Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-NL) is an established tool, but shorter versions may enhance clinical efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of three versions of the Dutch Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-NL): the original 49-item version, and two newly developed abbreviated versions (OHIP-NL14 and OHIP-NL5).
• To determine the suitability of these versions for clinical use with patients diagnosed with temporomandibular disorders (TMD).

Main Methods:

• Development of OHIP-NL14 and OHIP-NL5 by item selection from the original OHIP-NL.
• Administration of the OHIP-NL versions and the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) axis II questionnaire to 245 TMD patients.
• Comparison of reliability (internal consistency, test-retest) and validity of the three OHIP-NL versions, including associations with psychological variables.

Main Results:

• Internal consistency was sufficient for OHIP-NL and OHIP-NL14, but insufficient for OHIP-NL5.
• Test-retest reliability was excellent for OHIP-NL and OHIP-NL14, and fair to good for OHIP-NL5.
• All three versions demonstrated score validity, with statistically significant associations between OHIP summary scores and RDC/TMD axis II variables (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The OHIP-NL and OHIP-NL14 exhibit comparable and robust psychometric characteristics, making them suitable for clinical application in TMD patient assessment.
• The OHIP-NL14 is recommended as a preferred alternative to the full OHIP-NL when questionnaire length is a consideration.
• The OHIP-NL5 is not recommended for clinical use due to insufficient internal consistency and test-retest reliability.