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Can the Child Health Utility 9D measure be useful in oral health research?
Author(s) -
Foster Page Lyndie A.,
Beckett Deanna M.,
Cameron Claire M.,
Thomson W. Murray
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
international journal of paediatric dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.183
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1365-263X
pISSN - 0960-7439
DOI - 10.1111/ipd.12177
Subject(s) - medicine , bivariate analysis , oral health , quality of life (healthcare) , sample size determination , descriptive statistics , pediatrics , dentistry , statistics , mathematics , nursing
Background Cost‐utility analysis using the quality‐adjusted life years ( QALY ) as an outcome measure to inform healthcare resource allocation is becoming more common. The Child Health Utility 9D ( CHU 9D) enables the calculation of utility values in children. Children were involved throughout its development to ensure it is child centred. Aim To determine whether the CHU 9D is responsive to the changing components of the dmfs+ DMFS index score in children receiving dental care over a 1‐year period. Design The study sample comprised children aged 6 to 9 years old who were enrolled in a split‐mouth, placebo‐controlled randomised controlled trial. All children had a comprehensive clinical examination including radiographs and health‐related quality of life ( HRQ oL) was measured using the CHU 9D at baseline and 1 year. Descriptive statistics was followed by bivariate analyses before effect sizes were calculated. A negative binomial model was fitted to assess whether the utility score predicted the components of decayed and filled teeth (combined primary and permanent teeth). Results Eighty (92%) children completed the CHU 9D at baseline and follow‐up. They presented with a mean baseline d3mfs+D3 MFS of 6.7 ( SD = 7.1), which rose to 7.3 ( SD = 7.0) at follow‐up. The mean CHU 9D score improved from 0.88 to 0.90 from baseline to follow‐up. No statistically significant relationships were found between caries status and the CHU 9D score. Conclusion The CHU 9D was found to be unresponsive to the changing components of dental caries experience.