Evaluation of the similarities and differences in response patterns to the pediatric quality of life inventory and the child oral health impact scores among youth with cleft

Purpose: To examine (a) the pattern of responses to a generic health-related quality of life (HRQL) measure (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory - PedsQL) and an oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) measure (Child Oral Health Impact Profile - COHIP), and (b) the associations of these scores with surgical recommendation status among youth with cleft. Methods: Cross-sectional data (baseline) regarding clinicians' surgical recommendations and quality of life (QoL) measures were examined from an ongoing observational study on treatment outcomes. Approximately one-third of the racially and geographically diverse sample (N = 1,200; $$\bar{x} $$ x ̄ = 11.6 years) received surgical recommendations to correct either visible (aesthetic) or invisible (functional) defects. Effect sizes were used to quantify differences in QoL based on surgical recommendation and to compare the sensitivity of the PedsQL and COHIP subscales. Using Pearson coefficients, the scores of those recommended for surgery were compared with those without a surgical recommendation. Results: A moderate correlation (0.52) was found between the total scores on the PedsQL and COHIP (p < 0.0001). Subscale correlations between the QoL measures ranged from 0.19 to 0.48 with the strongest correlation between the PedsQL Emotional (r = 0.47) and COHIP Socioemotional Well-being subscale. The effect size for the COHIP Socioemotional Well-being (0.39) was larger than the PedsQL Social/Emotional (0.07/0.11) subscale (Z = 5.30/Z = 4.64, p < 0.0001, respectively), and the total COHIP (0.31) was significantly greater than the total PedsQL scale (0.15, z = 2.65, p = 0.008). Conclusions: A significant relationship was found between generic HRQL, OHRQoL, and surgical needs among youth with cleft with the COHIP having larger effect sizes than the PedsQL among surgical groups.