Questionnaire vs clinical surveys: the right choice?--A cross-sectional comparative study

Area of Science:

• Oral health research
• Public health
• Dental epidemiology

Background:

• Self-assessment questionnaires (perceived assessment) and clinical examinations (normative assessment) are used to evaluate oral health.
• Understanding public perception of oral health is crucial for effective health interventions.
• Socioeconomic status (SES) can significantly influence health perceptions and behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the practical value of self-perceived oral health assessments using questionnaires against normative assessments from clinical examinations.
• To evaluate the role of socioeconomic status in shaping public perception of oral health.
• To understand the implications of these findings for public oral health awareness and care-seeking behavior.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional, single-blind study involving 860 bank employees in Belgaum, India.
• Participants completed a questionnaire on socioeconomic status, dental, and periodontal health, and treatment needs.
• Clinical examinations using WHO criteria assessed normative oral health status and needs; perceived and normative data were compared using statistical measures like kappa values, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values.

Main Results:

• Agreement between perceived and normative assessments was low overall (average kappa 0.20), with significant disagreement on most oral health parameters.
• Moderate agreement was observed for filled teeth (kappa 0.52), missing teeth (kappa 0.62), and prostheses (kappa 0.67).
• Self-assessment showed low sensitivity for detecting treatment needs and overall oral health status.

Conclusions:

• Self-assessment questionnaires demonstrated low practical value for evaluating dental and periodontal health status and treatment needs in the study population.
• The findings suggest a low level of oral health awareness among participants, potentially impacting their care-seeking behavior.
• Socioeconomic status plays a significant role in the perception of dental health, highlighting disparities in oral health awareness and access to care.