Validation of a Greek version of the oral health impact profile (OHIP-14) for use among adults

BACKGROUND: To test the validity of the short form of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) for use among adults in Greece. METHODS: The original English version of the OHIP-14 was translated using the forward-backward technique, pilot-tested, and then applied to 211 adults aged 35 years and above. The questionnaire was filled out during face-to-face interviews conducted by one dentist, while individuals were asked to undergo a clinical examination. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha (α) coefficient and inter-item and item-total correlations. Discriminant and convergent validities were assessed. RESULTS: Cronbach's α was estimated to be 0.90. Inter-item correlations coefficients ranged from 0.10 to 0.83, while item-total correlations coefficients from 0.44 to 0.76. Significant associations were found between OHIP-14 and the decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) and oral hygiene, supporting the ability of the questionnaire to discriminate between individuals with and without impacts. The OHIP-14 total score was highly associated with self-perceived oral health status (r(s )= 0.57; p = 0.01), as well as with self-assessment of oral satisfaction (r(s )= 0.55;p = 0.01). Similar results were observed by investigating the relationship between the latter questions and each domain score as well as in various sub-groups analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The OHIP-14 is a reliable and valid questionnaire for the assessment of OHRQoL among adults in Greece.