ePrints

Assessing health outcomes after extraction of third molars: the postoperative symptom severity (PoSSe) scale

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Danny Ruta

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

A postoperative symptom severity (PoSSe) scale was devised from questions commonly used in the clinical assessment of patients who have had third molars extracted, and divided into subscales corresponding to seven main adverse effects that had been identified in a previous study. Ninety-seven patients completed the 15-item questionnaire at one week, and 71 patients at four weeks, after extraction of impacted third molars.After statistical testing, four items were discarded and the final PoSSe scale achieved a high level of internal reliability. Patients' PoSSe scores were highly correlated with scales that measured six distinct health dimensions. The level of social functioning, together with the number of impacted teeth and number of painkillers taken, explained 62% of the variation in PoSSe scores between patients one week postoperatively. The PoSSe was more responsive than the Short Form 36-item Health Survey.In conclusion, we found the PoSSe Scale to be a reliable, valid and responsive measure of the severity of symptoms after extraction of third molars, and of the impact of those symptoms on patients' perceived health. Copyright 2000 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Ruta DA; Bissias E; Ogston S; Ogden GR

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: British Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Year: 2000

Volume: 38

Issue: 5

Pages: 480-487

ISSN (print): 0266-4356

Publisher: Churchill Livingstone

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1054/bjom.2000.0339

DOI: 10.1054/bjom.2000.0339

Altmetrics

Share