Dimensional structure of the OHIP-14 and associations with self-report oral health-related variables in home-dwelling Norwegians aged 70+

Abstract

Objectives

The primary objective of the present study was to investigate the dimensional structure of the OHIP-14 in a sample of elderly Norwegians. A secondary objective was to describe associations between the exposed OHIP-14 dimensions and additional self-report oral health-related variables to assess the dimensions’ criterion validity.

Materials and methods

A survey questionnaire including the OHIP-14 and additional self-report oral health-related measures was completed by 325 home-dwelling Norwegians aged 70+. Exploratory factor analysis was used to investigate the dimensional structure of the OHIP-14 in this sample. Bivariate correlations were used to describe associations between the exposed OHIP-14 dimensions and additional self-report oral health-related variables.

Results

Three dimensions named psychosocial impacts, oral function impacts and general function impacts were revealed. Convergent and discriminant validity of these dimensions were largely supported, and internal consistency reliability for each dimension was good. Statistically significant associations were found between the exposed dimensions and additional self-report oral health-related variables, supporting the dimensions’ criterion validity.

Conclusions

A three-dimensional structure of the OHIP-14 was exposed and validated in the present study sample. Since different aspects of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) may be perceived and weighted differently in various populations, suggestions for future research include more profound investigations of the construct validity of the OHIP-14 and similar instruments assessing OHRQoL. Such research should include an exploration of various dimensions and the weights given to them through qualitative research in the target population(s).

Keywords:

• OHRQoL
• OHIP-14
• older adults
• factor analysis
• validation

Acknowledgements

Thanks to dental researchers and healthcare personnel for inputs on questionnaire design. Also, thanks to Janicke Liaaen Jensen and Anne Hanshus for facilitating access to the population of interest through the Norwegian Pensioners’ Association.

Disclosure statement

There is no conflict of interest.

Notes

1 The Pensioners’ Association is a politically neutral organization for people that have retired from work. The organization has about 240,000 members, which represent about 24% of the total number of Norwegian pensioners. The association aims to preserve the members’ social, economic, cultural and health-related interests.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger and the Oral Health Center of Expertise – Rogaland, Norway.