PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Rahaf J. Dak-Albab
AU  - Mayssoon A. Dashash
TI  - The influence of socioeconomic status on oral health-related quality of life among Syrian children with cleft lip, or palate, or both
DP  - 2013 Feb 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 181--186
VI  - 34
IP  - 2
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/34/2/181.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/34/2/181.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2013 Feb 01; 34
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Syrian children with cleft lip, or palate, or both (CL/P).METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Pediatric Dentistry Department, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria from April 2010 to May 2011. After excluding subjects with mental disorders, dumb and/or deaf, as well, 87 cleft-children have completed the Arabic version of the Child Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (COHRQoL, 36-item) that was divided into 4 different domains (Oral Symptoms, Functional Limitations, Emotional Well-Being, Social Well-Being). The SES was measured by 5 questions, and based on those questions, it was divided into 3 categories (high, moderate, low). The chi square test, and ANOVA test were used to perform statistical analysis.RESULTS: Overall, the 4 COHRQoL domains, and each Oral Symptoms, Emotional Well-Being, and Social Well-Being domain separately showed significant differences between cleft-children in different SES levels (p<0.05). Children that belonged to a low level of SES were more worried than the others, and they also have lost more school lessons, and avoided social activities.CONCLUSION: We found that the decrease of SES can affect negatively the OHRQoL among children with CL/P. Low SES cleft-children may require special psychological and social support.