Quality of evidence in the oral health international data: Contributions for a global profile

TL;DR

This study evaluates the reliability of global oral health data in the CAPP database, finding significant variation in data quality across regions and populations.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel method combining the AXIS tool and Item Response Theory to assess the quality of global oral health data.

Findings

Oral health data quality in CAPP is polarized and varies by age group, year, and geographic region.

The Americas and Western Pacific regions have the highest quality oral health data in the database.

The current CAPP data inclusion process may not ensure accurate global oral health representation.

Abstract

The Oral Health Country/Area Profile Project (CAPP) is the largest global database on oral health, compiling information from 205 countries, including 193 members of the World Health Organization (WHO). Although this database is a source of information and provides an overview of global oral health, the extent to which it accurately reflects oral health in specific countries is uncertain.

To analyze the quality of evidence underlying the global oral health profile provided by CAPP.

The Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS) was adapted and used to assess data extracted from the methods section of included records. The results were then analyzed using the Item Response Theory (IRT) to establish the weightings of each dimension. The score was assessed in relation to variables of interest: age group, year of the record, and geographic region.

The quality of oral health data showed polarization, with The quality of data from included documents varied according to age group analyzed, year of assessment, and geographic region. The Americas and Western Pacific regions demonstrated the highest quality of oral health data.

The global oral health profile depicted by CAPP may not accurately reflect reality. The process for including data in the database needs to be reviewed to ensure its reliability.

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