Development of algorithms for estimating the Child Health Utility 9D from Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disability.

Purpose: The primary aim was to determine Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) utilities from the Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities (CPCHILD) for non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: One hundred and eight surveys completed by Australian parents/caregivers of children with CP were analysed. Spearman's coefficients were used to investigate the correlations between the two instruments.

Comparison of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-4D) and Child Health Utility Index (CHU-9D) in children with oral diseases.

Objective: Accurate assessment of child oral health is important for guiding economic evaluations and informing healthcare decision-making. Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS-4D) is a preference-based instrument that measures the oral health-related quality of life of young children. The aim of this study was to compare the utility scores of ECOHIS-4D and Child Health Utility Index (CHU-9D), against an oral health indicator to evaluate which utility score corresponds better with the oral health indicator.

Modeled health economic and equity impact on dental caries and health outcomes from a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax in Australia.

Dental caries is the most prevalent oral disease across the life course. This study modeled the population health and economic impact of a 20% sugar sweetened beverages tax (SSB) for preventing dental caries compared to no intervention (societal and healthcare perspective). A cost-effectiveness analysis according to quintiles of area-level socioeconomic disadvantage was performed for the 2020 Australian population (0-100 years old) using a closed cohort Markov model.

Economic Evaluations of Preventive Interventions for Dental Caries and Periodontitis: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: To critically examine the methods used for full economic evaluations of preventive interventions for dental caries and periodontitis.

Methods: Published literature post-2000 was searched to April 2021. Based on a developed intervention classification framework for dental caries and periodontitis, only universal, selective or indicated interventions were included in this review.

An intervention to improve the self-efficacy of key workers to support parental wellbeing at an early childhood intervention service in Australia: a stepped wedged randomized cluster trial.

Purpose: It is well documented parents of children who have a disability are at an increased risk of poor mental health and wellbeing. A capacity building program designed to build key worker self-efficacy to support the mental health of parents accessing early childhood intervention services (ECIS) for their child was trialled.

Materials And Methods: A stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial design was utilised to deliver and evaluate a 12-month intervention program, comprising tailored professional development, resource development and sustainability measures.

Atraumatic restorative treatments and oral health-related quality of life and dental anxiety in Australian Aboriginal children: A cluster-randomized trial.

Objectives: The management of early childhood caries is challenging and the impacts of its treatment on child oral health-related quality of life (COHRQoL) and dental anxiety among Australian Aboriginal children is relatively unknown. The aim of the study was to compare the impact on COHRQoL and dental anxiety after approximately 12 months among Aboriginal children treated for early childhood caries (ECC) using the Atraumatic Restorative Treatment and the Hall Technique (ART/HT: test) or standard care (control).

Methods: Consenting Aboriginal communities in the North-West of Western Australia were randomized into early (test) or delayed (control) intervention for the management of ECC.

Multiple effects health economic evaluation of the Ahead of The Game Study for mental health promotion in sporting club communities.

Background: This study evaluates the Ahead Of The Game (AOTG) mental health promotion strategy for adolescent males relative to usual practice in team based sporting club community settings, allowing for joint incremental effects across 13 dimensions and 5 domains alongside intervention implementation costs.

Methods: Analysis is undertaken between matched communities with difference in differences analysis of joint multiple pre-post effect changes alongside implementation costs employing radar plots in cost-disutility space. A robust bootstrapping method allowed including all observed change in effect data from 343 AOTG and 273 control arm participants across 13 effect dimensions.

Evaluation of an intervention to promote minimally invasive dentistry (MID) in an Australian community dental agency-A pilot study.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of an intervention consisting of a 1-day continuing professional development (CPD) education programme on the International Caries Classification and Management System (ICCMS ), and monthly performance feedback, and to promote minimally invasive dentistry (MID) for children aged under 12 years in an Australian community dental agency. The a priori hypotheses assumed the intervention would increase preventive services, and treatment demand was met.

Methods: A quasi non-randomized controlled trial with convenience sampling method was adopted.

Developing an early childhood oral health impact-specific health-state classification system for a new preference-based instrument, the ECOHIS-4D.

Objectives: Most of the paediatric quality-of-life instruments in oral health research are not preference-based measures, thus cannot be used in economic evaluations. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) is one such instrument which assesses oral health impact on children's quality of life among three- to five-year-olds. With increasing demands for more resource allocation in oral health care, there is a need for an outcome metric which can be used as the outcome in economic evaluations.

Understanding key worker experiences at an Australian Early Childhood Intervention Service.

The delivery of family-centred practice (FCP) within Early Childhood Intervention Services (ECISs) for young children with a disability or development delay conceptualises that children's learning environments, parenting, family and community supports intersect to have the greatest impact on the developing child. The transdisciplinary key worker model is considered a best-practice approach within ECISs whereby staff work collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries to plan and implement services for children and their families. Research suggests families who have a key worker have better relationships with services, fewer unmet needs, better morale, more information about services, higher parental satisfaction and more parental involvement than those not receiving this service.

A Cost Analysis of an Outreach School-Based Dental Program: Teeth on Wheels.

Background: This study evaluated an outreach mobile dental service called Teeth on Wheels (TOW). The dental program targeted Australian children from low household income, who are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Scheme (CDBS) in Victoria, Australia. The program is complemented with a school-based oral health promotion element.

The Modelled Population Obesity-Related Health Benefits of Reducing Consumption of Discretionary Foods in Australia.

Over one third of Australians' daily energy intake is from discretionary foods and drinks. While many health promotion efforts seek to limit discretionary food intake, the population health impact of reductions in the consumption of different types of discretionary foods (e.g.

Health-related quality of life and upper-limb impairment in children with cerebral palsy: developing a mapping algorithm.

Aim: To: (1) investigate the relationship between upper-limb impairment and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for children with cerebral palsy and (2) develop a mapping algorithm from the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children (CPQoL-Child) onto the Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) measure.

Method: The associations between physical and upper-limb classifications and HRQoL of 76 children (40 females, 36 males) aged 6 to 15 years (mean age 9 years 7 months [SD 3y]) were assessed. Five statistical techniques were developed and tested, which predicted the CHU9D scores from the CPQoL-Child total/domain scores, age, and sex.

A Markov cost-effective analysis of biannual fluoride varnish for preventing dental caries in permanent teeth over a 70-year time horizon.

Issue Addressed: Biannual application of fluoride varnish is effective for dental caries prevention, but its cost-effectiveness using quality-adjusted life years (QALY) is unknown. This study performed a cost-effectiveness analysis, from the Australian health care system perspective of biannual application of fluoride varnish versus current practice (non-routine application) for an individual aged 15 years and older over a 70-year time horizon.

Methods: Health outcomes measured were the number of prevented decayed, missing, and filled teeth (prevented-DMFT) and QALY gained.

A dental workforce strategy to make Australian public dental services more efficient.

Background: Dental services can be provided by the oral health therapy (OHT) workforce and dentists. This study aims to quantify the potential cost-savings of increased utilisation of the OHT workforce in providing dental services for children under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS). The CDBS is an Australian federal government initiative to increase dental care access for children aged 2-17 years.

A Capacity Building Program to Improve the Self-Efficacy of Key Workers to Support the Well-Being of Parents of a Child With a Disability Accessing an Early Childhood Intervention Service: Protocol for a Stepped-Wedge Design Trial.

Background: Early childhood intervention services support children with disabilities or developmental delays from birth to school entry with the aim to achieve optimal outcomes for children and their families. A transdisciplinary approach to delivering early childhood intervention, particularly the key worker model, is considered the best practice, where allied health professionals (eg, speech pathologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and special educators) and the family work together as a collaborative team to share information, knowledge, and skills across disciplinary boundaries, with a key worker coordinating and delivering most of the intervention to achieve the goals for the child and their family. Initial qualitative research demonstrated parents want their key worker to also support their mental well-being.

A Rights-Based Approach for Service Providers to Measure the Quality of Life of Children with a Disability.

Background: This paper identifies the best instruments for service providers to measure the quality of life (QoL) of children with a disability, with a focus on their alignment with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability (CRPD).

Methods: This study reviewed systematic reviews to identify generic QoL instruments for children and adolescents, followed by an appraisal process using newly developed criteria. QoL instruments with a health status, functioning, and condition-specific focus were excluded.

A systematic review of utility values in children with cerebral palsy.

Purpose: Project aims include the following: (i) to identify reported utility values associated with CP in children aged ≤ 18 years; (ii) to explore utility value elicitation techniques in published studies; and (iii) to examine performance of the measures and/or elicitation approaches.

Methods: Peer-reviewed studies published prior to March 2017 were identified from six electronic databases. Construct validity, convergent validity, responsiveness, and reliability of instruments were assessed.

Minimally Invasive Dentistry Based on Atraumatic Restorative Treatment to Manage Early Childhood Caries in Rural and Remote Aboriginal Communities: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The caries experience of Aboriginal children in Western Australia (WA) and elsewhere in Australia is more than twice that of non-Aboriginal children. Early childhood caries (caries among children <6 years) has a significant impact on the quality of life of children and their caregivers, and its management is demanding and commonly undertaken under general anesthesia. A randomized controlled trial using a minimally invasive dentistry approach based on Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) in metropolitan Perth, WA, has demonstrated a significant reduction in the rate of referral to a dental specialist for dental care among children with early childhood caries, potentially reducing the need for treatment under general anesthesia.

Economic evaluation and cost of interventions for cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

Aim: Economic appraisal can help guide policy-making for purchasing decisions, and treatment and management algorithms for health interventions. We conducted a systematic review of economic studies in cerebral palsy (CP) to inform future research.

Method: Economic studies published since 1970 were identified from seven databases.

Measuring Adherence to Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Objectives: Dental Health Services Victoria publishes evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to assist public oral health practitioners to provide high-quality dental care. How well these CPGs are implemented into practice is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess adherence to selected CPGs.