The influence of socioeconomic status on oral health-related quality of life among Syrian children with cleft lip, or palate, or both.

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.