Validation of a Latvian and a Russian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile for use among adults

BACKGROUND. The need for appraisal of oral health-related quality of life has been increasingly recognized over the last decades. The aim of this study was to develope a Latvian and a Russian version and test the validity of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-49) for use among adults in Latvia. METHODS. The original English version of the OHIP-49 was translated using the forward-backward technique, pilot-tested, and then applied to 60 adults aged 18 years and above. The questionnaire was filled out during face-to-face interviews conducted by one specialist. 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 0.96. Inter-item correlations coefficients ranged from 0.19 to 0.91, with averige value 0.35, while item-total correlations coefficients from 0.14 to 0.86. CONCLUSIONS. The OHIP-49 is a reliable and valid questionnaire for the assessment of OHRQoL among adults in Latvia.