Psychometric approach to evaluate periodontal disease using Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Oral Health Research
• Psychology of Health
• Chronic Disease Management

Background:

• Illness perception, the cognitive representation of illness, influences patient responses.
• The Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) is used to assess illness representation across chronic diseases.
• The factor structure of the IPQ-R has been questioned, necessitating studies in specific patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the components of illness representation in patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis.
• To explore how patients perceive the identity, timeline, and causes of their chronic periodontitis.
• To investigate potential gender differences in illness perception among periodontitis patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 625 voluntary patients with chronic periodontitis was recruited.
• The Hindi version of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) was administered.
• The IPQ-R assessed illness identity, timeline, perceived causes, and impact on daily life.

Main Results:

• A significant portion of patients perceived their periodontitis as cyclical (44.0%) or a mystery (30.4%).
• Over 44.0% reported a severe impact of periodontitis on their daily lives.
• Perceived causes included stress (21.6%), workload (20.8%), and poor past medical care (42.4%).
• Significant gender differences were observed across seven IPQ-R components.

Conclusions:

• Measuring patient illness perception is crucial for tailoring interventions in chronic periodontitis.
• Targeted interventions can address misconceptions and improve patient health and satisfaction.
• Understanding illness perception offers a cost-effective approach to enhance overall patient care.