Abstract
BACKGROUND: Oral health plays a crucial role in personal, social, and psychological well-being, especially in older adults. Currently, no specific assessment tool is available in Iran that provides a multi-dimensional clinical assessment of oral health status. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the psychometric properties and cross-cultural adaptation of the Persian version of the Oral Assessment Questionnaire (P-OAS) for older adults. METHODS: This methodological study employed convenience sampling for participant selection, with data collected via face-to-face interviews at Tooba Clinic in Sari, Iran (April-June 2024). Data were collected using the P-OAS, DMFT index, Gingival Index (GI), and a demographic questionnaire. The P-OAS was translated, culturally adapted, and its psychometric properties were analyzed using SPSS v.22, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 200 participants (mean age: 68.87 years) were included in the study. The mean (SD) scores for P-OAS, DMFT, and GI were 8.37 ± 5.94, 21.55 ± 7.49, and 1.72 ± 0.65, respectively. Experts confirmed face, content (SCVI/average = 0.89), and cross-cultural validity. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good model fit (GFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.92). P-OAS correlated significantly with the DMFT (p < 0.05, r = 0.45) and GI (p < 0.05, r = 0.56) indices, indicating satisfactory convergent validity. Internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.93) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92) were high. No significant floor or ceiling effects were observed. Oral health scores varied significantly by demographic factors, except for marital status and chronic diseases (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The P-OAS demonstrated high validity and reliability, making it a valuable tool for assessing oral health status among older adults.