Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Translating Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Measures: Are There Alternative Methodologies?

Translating quality of life measures

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Translating existing sociodental indicators to another language involves a rigorous methodology, which can be costly. Free-of-charge online translator tools are available, but have not been evaluated in the context of research involving quality of life measures. To explore the value of using online translator tools to develop oral health-related quality of life measures using the Chinese language as an example. Six online translating tools were employed to translate the original English versions of two sociodental indicators to traditional Chinese, and then back-translate them to English. Two health-professional bilingual translators were consulted to check for the accuracy of the Chinese version produced. The online tools provided literal translations into Chinese with no grammatical coherence for most of the questions, which could potentially have a detrimental effect on the translated version produced as a culturally relevant and psychometrically sound instrument. The two translators did a content-validation exercise on each version of the questions provided by the tools, which were then independently compared to the translations currently in use. As a free-of-charge translator, the tools cannot be used at face value, particularly with languages that are not alphabet-based such as Chinese. They ought to be complemented by a content validation exercise still having minimal impact on resources. This method can be useful in languages that do not yet have a translated version of a given health measurement. The measure produced should still be tested for its psychometric properties in the target language.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adulyanon, S., & Sheiham, A. (1997). Oral impacts on daily performances. In: Slade BG (Eds.) Measuring oral health and quality of life (pp. 151–160). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, Dental Ecology.

  • Atchison, K. A., & Dolan, T. A. (1990). Development of the geriatric oral health assessment index. Journal of Dental Education, 54, 680–687.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baba, K., Inukai, M., & John, M. T. (2007). Feasibility of oral health-related quality of life assessment in prosthodontics patients using abbreviated oral health impact profile questioners. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 35, 224–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bourgeois, D. M., & Lodra, J. C. (Eds) (2003). European global oral health indicators development project. Report Proceedings. Paris, FR: Quintessence International.

  • Brondani, M. A., & MacEntee, M. I. (2007). The concept of validity in the sociodental indicators. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 35, 742–748.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bush, L. A., Horenkamp, N., Morley, J. E., & Spiro, I. I. I. A. (1996). DENTAL: A rapid self-administered screening instrument to promote referrals for further evaluation in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 1996(44), 979–981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese, J. M., Friedman, P. K., Rose, L. M., & Jones, J. A. (1999). Using the GOHAI to assess oral health status of frail homebound elders: Reliability, sensitivity, and specificity. Special Care in Dentistry, 19, 214–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L. K., & Jago, J. (1976). Towards the formation of socio-dental indictors. International Journal of Health Services, 6, 681–698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornell, J. E., Saunders, M. J., Paunovich, E. D., & Frisch, M. B. (1997). Oral health quality of life inventory (OH-QoL). In B. G. Slade (Ed), Measuring oral health and quality of life (pp. 136–149). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, Dental Ecology.

  • Cushing, A. M., Sheiham, A., & Maizels, J. (1986). Developing socio-dental indicators: The social impact of dental disease. Community Dental Health, 3, 3–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolan, T. A., & Gooch, B. R. (1997). Dental health questions from the Rand Health Insurance Study. In C. D. Slade (Ed.), Measuring oral health and quality of life (pp. 65–70). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, Dental Ecology.

  • Dolan, T. A., Gooch, B. R., & Bourque, L. B. (1991). Associations of self-reported dental health and general health measures in the rand health insurance experiment. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 19, 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Earp, J. A., & Ennett, S. T. (1991). Conceptual models for health education research and practice. Health Education Research, 6, 163–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eremenco, S. L., Cella, D., & Arnold, B. J. (2005). A comprehensive method for the translation and cross-cultural validation of health status questionnaires. Evaluation and the Health Professions, 28, 212–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gadbury-Amyot, C. C., Williams, K. B., Krust-Bray, K., Manne, D., & Collins, P. (1999). Validity and reliability of the oral health-related quality of life instrument for dental hygiene. Journal of Dental Hygiene, 73, 126–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, G. H., Shelton, B. J., Chavers, L. S., & Bradford, E. H. (2003). The paradox of dental need in a population-based study of dentate adults. Medical Care, 41, 119–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guillemin, F., Bombardier, C., & Beaton, D. (1993). Cross-cultural adaptation of health quality of life measures: Literature review and proposed guidelines. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 46, 1417–1432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harbaugh, R. (2009). Chinese characters: A genealogy and dictionary (p. 500). Published by Yale University Press.

  • Hebling, E., & Pereira, A. C. (2007). Oral health-related quality of life: A critical appraisal of assessment tools used in elderly people. Gerodontology, 24, 151–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hui, M. T. A. (2008). The significance of oral health in the lives of Cantonese-speaking elderly Chinese immigrants in Vancouver, Canada. Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master Of Science, University of British Columbia (p. 90).

  • Hwang, E. (2008). Exploring aging-in place among Chinese and Korean seniors in British Columbia. Canada International Journal of Aging, 32, 205–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ide, R., Yamamoto, R., & Mizoue, T. (2006). The Japanese version of the oral health impact profile: Validation among young and middle-aged adults. Community Dental Health, 23, 158–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ide, R., Mizoue, T., Yamamoto, R., & Tsuneoka, M. (2008). Development of a shortened Japanese version of the oral health impact profile for young and middle-age adults. Community Dental Health, 25, 38–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ip, P. K. (2010). Concepts of Chinese folk happiness. Social Indicators Research,. doi:10.1007/s11205-010-9756-7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jokovic, A., Locker, D., Stephens, M., Kenny, D., Tompson, B., & Guyatt, G. (2002). Validity and reliability of questionnaire for measuring child oral health related quality of life. Journal of Dental Research, 81, 459–463.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, J. A., Kressin, N. R., Miller, D. R., Orner, M. B., Gracia, R. I., & Spirro, A. I. I. I. (2004). Comparison of patient-based oral health outcome measures. Quality of Life Research, 13, 975–985.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katzner, K. (2002). The Languages of the World. 3rd Edition. Published by Routledge Ltd. Page ix (preface).

  • Kressin, N., Spiro, A., Bosse, R., Gracia, R., & Kazis, L. (1996). Assessing oral health-related quality of life: Finding from a normative study. Medical Care, 34, 416–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leao, A. T., & Sheiham, A. (1986). The development of a socio-dental measure of dental impacts on daily living. Community Dental Health, 13, 22–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locker, D. (1988). Measuring oral health: A conceptual framework. Community Dental Health, 5, 3–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locker, D. (2001). Oral health indicators and determinants for population health surveys. Community Dental Health Services Research Unit. University of Toronto. Available at http://www.cdhsru-uoft.ca/download/ohquestions.doc. Retrieved Dec 19 2004.

  • Locker, D., & Gibson, B. (2006). The concept of positive health: A review and commentary on its application in oral health research. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 34, 161–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locker, D., & Miller, Y. (1994). Evaluation of subjective oral health status indicators. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 54, 167–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacEntee, M. I., MacInnis, B., McKeown, L., & Sarrapuchiello, T. (2008). Dignity with a smile: Oral health care for elders in residential care: A report for the Federal Dental Advisory Committee (p. 20). Available at http://www.fptdwg.ca/. (Retrieved Feb 13 2012).

  • Mallard, A. G. C., Lance, C. E., & Michalos, A. C. (1997). Culture as a moderator of overall life satisfaction—Life facet satisfaction relationships. Social Indicators Research, 40, 259–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marino, R., Minichiello, V., & MacEntee, M. I. (2010). Understanding oral health beliefs and practices among Cantonese-speaking older Australians. Australian Journal on Ageing, 29, 21–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGrath, C., & Bedi, R. (2001). An evaluation of a new measure of oral health related quality of life—OHQoL—UK(W). Community Dental Health, 18, 138–143.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNaughton, W., & LI, Y. (1999). Reading & writing Chinese traditional character edition (p. 396). Published by Charles E Tuttle Co.

  • Nagata, M., Saito, T., & Suzuki, K. (2001). Using the Web as a bilingual dictionary. In Proceedings of the workshop on Data-driven methods in machine translation (vol. 14, pp. 1–8).

  • Newton, J. T., Corrigan, M., Gibbons, D. E., et al. (2003). The self-assessed oral health status of individuals from White, Indian, Chinese and Black Caribbean communities in South-east England. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 31, 192–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pace-Balzan, A., Cawood, J. I., Howell, R., Lowe, D., & Rogers, S. N. (2004). The liverpool oral rehabilitation questionnaire: A pilot study. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 31, 609–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rato, R., & Davey, G. (2010). Quality of life in Macau. China. Social Indicators Research,. doi:10.1007/s11205-010-9766-5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryder, D., Little, J., Wright, B., Pearman, A., & Willett, B. (2007). A clinician’s compendium of assessment tools for mental health clients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. http://www.asetts.vacau.com/Documents/Clinician’s%20Compendium.pdf.

  • Slade, G. D. (Ed.) (1997a). Measuring oral health and quality of life. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, Dental Ecology.

  • Slade, G. D. (1997b). Derivation and validation of a short-form oral health impact profile. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 25:284–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slade, G. D., & Spencer, A. J. (1994). Development and evaluation of oral health impact profile. Community Dental Health, 11, 3–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spagnoli, P., Caetano, A., & Silva, A. (2010). Psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of the subjective happiness scale. Social Indicators Research,. doi:10.1007/s11205-010-9769-2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Statistics Canada. (2008). http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/090326/dq090326a-eng.htm.

  • Strainer, D. L., & Norman, G. R. (Eds). (2008). Health measurement scales: A practical guide to their development and use. 4th Edition (p. 431). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

  • Strauss, R. P., & Hunt, R. J. (1993). Understanding the value of teeth to older adults: Influences on the quality of life. Journal of the American Dental Association, 124, 105–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tubert-Jeannin, S., Riordan, P. J., Morel-Papernot, A., Porcheray, S., & Saby-Collet, S. (2003). Validation of an oral health quality of life index (GOHAI) in France. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 31, 275–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, M. C. M., Liu, K. K. S., & Lo, E. C. M. (2002a). Translation and validation of the Chinese version of the GOHAI. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 62, 78–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, M. C. M., Lo, E. C. M., & McMillan, A. S. (2002b). Validation of a Chinese version of the oral health impact profile (OHIP). Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 30, 423–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, A. H. H., Cheung, C. S., & McGrath, C. (2007). Developing a short form of oral health impact profile (OHIP) for dental aesthetics: OHIP-aesthetic. Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 35, 64–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamazaki, M., Inukai, M., Baba, K., & John, M. T. (2007). Japanese version of the oral health impact profile (OHIP-J). Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 34, 159–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng, X., Sheiham, A., Bernabé, E., & Tsakos, G. (2010). Relationship between dental status and oral impacts on daily performances in older southern Chinese people. Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 70, 101–107.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This paper has been adapted from the authors’ poster presentation during the 3rd UBC Dentistry Research Day 2011, Vancouver. We would like to thank Clare Davies for her insightful ideas on the style of this paper. Support for this research was provided by the 2010 University of British Columbia Faculty of Dentistry Start-Up Funds Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Community Dentistry and Prosthodontics and Dental Geriatrics, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    Mario Brondani

  2. DMD 2013, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    Sarah He

Authors
  1. Mario Brondani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sarah He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mario Brondani.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brondani, M., He, S. Translating Oral Health-Related Quality of Life Measures: Are There Alternative Methodologies?. Soc Indic Res 111, 387–401 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0012-1

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-012-0012-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation