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Cleft lip and palate: an objective measure outcome study.
Hani Sinno1, Youssef Tahiri, Stephanie Thibaudeau
1Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and Boston, Mass. From the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University; the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University; and the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|July 31, 2012
Summary
Individuals born with cleft lip and/or palate experience a health burden comparable to monocular blindness. This study quantises the impact using utility assessment measures.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Quality of Life Research
- Medical Sociology
Background:
- Cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) is a congenital condition causing significant impairments in speech, hearing, feeding, and psychosocial well-being if unrepaired.
- Understanding the perceived burden of CLP is crucial for effective management and patient support.
- Health state utility measures provide an objective way to quantify the impact of medical conditions on quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the potential impact of being born with cleft lip and/or palate.
- To objectively assess the health burden associated with CLP using validated utility assessment tools.
- To compare the utility scores of CLP with those of blindness conditions.
Main Methods:
- A prospective utility assessment was conducted using the visual analogue scale (VAS), time trade-off (TTO), and standard gamble (SG).
- Utility scores were obtained from 110 participants, including the general population and medical students.
- Paired t-tests and linear regression analyses were used to compare scores and identify predictors.
Main Results:
- Utility scores for cleft lip and/or palate (CLP) were statistically different from binocular blindness (p<0.001).
- CLP utility scores were comparable to those of monocular blindness across all assessment methods (VAS, TTO, SG).
- No significant differences in utility scores were observed between male and female participants.
Conclusions:
- The perceived burden of being born with cleft lip and/or palate is objectively comparable to living with monocular blindness.
- Health state utility scores provide a valuable metric for understanding the quality-of-life impact of CLP.
- These findings can inform healthcare resource allocation and patient counseling for individuals with CLP.
