Premium
Dental treatment improves the oral health‐related quality of life of adolescents: A mixed‐methods approach
Author(s) -
Maroneze Marília Cunha,
Ardenghi Diego Machado,
Brondani Mario,
Unfer Beatriz,
Ardenghi Thiago Machado
Publication year - 2019
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.12548
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , quality of life (healthcare) , thematic analysis , oral health , perception , family medicine , meaning (existential) , qualitative research , clinical psychology , nursing , psychiatry , psychology , psychotherapist , social science , neuroscience , sociology
Aim To evaluate and understand the impact of dental treatment on oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) of adolescents. Design A sequential explanatory mixed‐methods design was performed. A sample of 182 adolescents, aged 10 and 15 years old who had finished their dental treatment at adolescent dental clinic of Federal University of Santa Maria from 2010 to 2016, were included. Participants answered the short form of Child Perceptions Questionnaire (CPQ 11‐14) prior to their dental treatment and 1 month after concluding the treatment. The effect size was calculated to assess magnitude of change. In qualitative phase, semi‐structured interviews took place at the end of the dental treatment. Interviews were audio‐recorded and analyzed according to thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke. Results The effect sizes ranged from 0.35 to 1.00, and the oral symptom domain presented the greatest effect. Sixteen interviews were conducted and five themes emerged: concept of quality of life, oral health influenced by oral conditions, oral health symptoms influencing seeking care behavior, personal and subjective experiences, and dental educational environment. Conclusion Dental treatment has an uncountable meaning for adolescents because it has a psychosocial meaning in this phase of life and it is able to improve their OHRQoL.