ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To develop and to evaluate a questionnaire of self-perception and self-care habits on oral health on a first level population. METHODS: A descriptive, observational study was performed to validate a questionnaire on oral health self-perception (UISESS-B). After non-probabilistic sampling, 94 users, 30-59 years of age, with either diabetes mellitus 2, hypertension or obesity were included. Duration of disease was lesser than 10 years. Pearson's r, Cornbach's , factorial analysis, chi-square and Snedecor's F tests were employed. RESULTS: A Pearson's r of 0.7 and Cronbach's of 0.82 was observed on the pre-post values of the global questionnaire. In the factorial analysis, the variance explained more than 60% for a first factor. A punctuation of very high risk for the three groups with the scale UISESSS-B that coincides with the index CPO-D and the index UISESS-F was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The UISESS-B scale shows significant validity and reliability, suggesting its use as a sensitive instrument for the measurement of oral health in people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
