Validity of Self Completed Health Questionnaire among Oral Surgery Patients in Capitol Dental

Objective of this study is to determine the degree of validity of self completed health questionnaire among oral surgery patient at the Capitol Dental when compared with a structured oral interview. A prospective random selection method was applied using a standardized questionnaire. The cohorts are patients attending Capital Dental Clinic ambulatory emergency care department of the Washington D.C. Public Health Institution. One hundred and forty (140) patients who presented for the first time at the Dental Clinic on emergency basis were involved. Patients between ages 50-60 are the most predominant at 31.4%, followed by ages 40-50 at 28.6%. Ethnically, the African-American population are by far the most represented at 84.3%. 24 no responses or 7.1% of the 140 patients under study missed at least one question each in the self completed health questionnaire. The medial history that reflect the highest disparity percentage when the two modalities of questionnaire were compared is substance abuse 7.8%, followed by HTN 5.7%, HIV 3.6%, and Cardiovascular diseases at 2.8%. It was concluded that self completed health questionnaire should be formally tested before use and be sensitive to differences in social background and culture. One method cannot be used exclusively. (Afr. J. Biomed. Res. 11: 275 - 279) Key word: Oral surgery, questionnaire, Washington D.C, patients