Oral Health–Related Quality of Life in Children in Chile Treated for Cleft Lip and Palate: A Case-Control Approach

Abstract

Objective To compare the oral health–related quality of life of patients treated for cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P) versus unaffected children between 8 and 15 years of age using a Spanish-language version of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP-Sp) administered to a Chilean population. Design A cross-sectional study with a matched case-control design was used. Methods Participants were 48 children (mean age 11.3 years) with a history of CL/P from three cities in Chile and one group of 96 children (mean age 11.2 years) unaffected by CL/P. The COHIP-Sp was applied to both groups. Quality of life was compared according to the overall score and the average score of items and domains on the COHIP-Sp scale between the two groups (Mann-Whitney U test; P < .05). Results The COHIP-Sp score was 94.1 ± 19.3 in children with CL/P and 97.1 ± 15.6 for the control group ( P = .31). A significantly lower score was observed in the group with CL/P in the domains “functional well-being” ( P = .001) and “school environment” ( P = .001); the only average in favor of the quality of life in children with CL/P was in “self-image” ( P = .0002). Conclusion The oral health–related quality of life of children with a history of CL/P was similar to that of the control group. Nevertheless, a lower quality of life was observed concerning items associated with speech and being understood by other people. Further study into the risk factors associated with surgery and rehabilitative treatment is recommended.