Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Main Authors: Stephanie Vieira de Souza (Author), Michelle Estefane da Silva Damasceno (Author), Rachid Pinto Zacarias Filho (Author), Simone Assayag Hanan (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Association of Support to Oral Health Research (APESB), 2024-10-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1519-0501; 1983-4632
• Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder; Oral Health; Dental Caries; Quality of Life; Dentistry; RK1-715
• Source: Pesquisa Brasileira em Odontopediatria e Clínica Integrada, Vol 24 (2024)

Objective: To assess the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through parental/caregiver perceptions. Material and Methods: Children and adolescents aged 4-18 years enrolled in an ASD center at Manaus, AM, Brazil, were assessed for dental caries by clinical examination. A trained and calibrated examiner performed all exams. The "Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire" (PCP-Q) and the "Family Impact Scale" (FIS) were used to assess OHRQoL. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Fifty-one children/adolescents of both sexes participated in the study. The mean age of patients was ten years (3.0), and most were male (76.5%). Forty-five (88.2%) mothers had more than nine years of schooling, and 28 (54.9%) earned equal to or less than two Brazilian minimum wages. The global PCP-Q score ranged from 0 to 25, with a mean value of 7.41 (6.64). The impact score values were significantly higher in individuals with caries experience in primary dentition (p<0.05). No significant differences in OHRQoL scores existed regarding family income and maternal schooling. Conclusion: According to parental/caregiver perceptions, children and adolescents with ASD had a higher impact on the PCP-Q functional limitation domain. Caries experience in primary teeth contributed to higher mean scores in all PCP-Q domains.