Validated Questionnaire of Maternal Attitude and Knowledge for Predicting Caries Risk in Children: Epidemiological Study in North Jakarta, Indonesia

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Predicting caries risk in children can be done by identifying caries risk factors. It is an important measure which contributes to best understanding of the cariogenic profile of the patient. Identification could be done by clinical examination and answering the questionnaire. We arrange the study to verify the questionnaire validation for predicting caries risk in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 62 pairs of mothers and their children, aged between 3 and 5 years. The questionnaire consists of 10 questions concerning mothers' attitude and knowledge about oral health. The reliability and validity test is based on Cronbach's alpha and correlation coefficient value. RESULTS: All question are reliable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.873) and valid (Corrected item-total item correlation >0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Five questionnaires of mother's attitude about oral health and five questionnaires of mother's knowledge about oral health are reliable and valid for predicting caries risk in children.