I would like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Deborah V. Dawson and Derek Blanchette for their direction during the statistical analyses. Dr. Dawson took the time to not just assist me in the analyses, but to explain, demonstrate, and clarify valuable concepts along the way. Derek Blanchette provided significant statistical support and was very patient during my endless inquiries throughout the process. They both created an extremely beneficial learning process which I am very appreciative for. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Dr. Owais. As she was the PI of the trial I utilized for this thesis, she provided me with a tremendous amount of assistance and guidance during this experience. I am very grateful for her insights and feedback. I would like to acknowledge the other members of my committee, COL Moss, Dr. Wehby, and Dr. Kanellis. I would like to thank them for their contributions, suggestions, and assessments. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my late parents, Jack and Lucille. Whatever my decisions, endeavors, or desires, they were always there to love and support me. Although they are no longer with me, their unconditional love, encouragement, and positivity will carry with me always. v ABSTRACT Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the level to which dental caries and socio-demographic factors impact the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in a sample of Amish children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was embedded within a pilot study of medical management of caries in the primary dentition using silver nitrate. Parents were asked to complete a baseline questionnaire which included questions regarding socio-demographics and an OHRQoL questionnaire-a 16item Parent Perception Questionnaire (PPQ). Parents were also asked to make a global rating of their child's oral health status and its impact on the child's overall wellbeing. Oral examinations were completed by two previously trained and calibrated dentists for the assessment of dental caries experience. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed including the Spearman Correlation and Wilcoxon rank sum test. Multivariable linear modeling was used to model the covariate effects on OHRQoL. Results: 77 children were analyzed. OHRQoL was negatively impacted by caries as per the Oral Domain of the PPQ (p<.02) and the global oral health status rating (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference between males and females in the OHRQoL outcome measures (p>0.05). The effect of income on OHRQoL was tenuous as the results were inconsistent. Conclusions: According to parents' perceptions, a higher caries experience was associated with a poorer oral health status rating and had a negative impact on oral symptoms as they related to the OHRQoL of the children. Finally, there may be cultural differences regarding the value and/or expectations of oral health. vi
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.