Criação, validade de conteúdo e processo de resposta do instrumento de diagnóstico epidemiológico para disfunção temporomandibular - IDE/DTM

Abstract

The incidence and prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) characterize them as a public health issue, becoming necessary to create adequate public policies in the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of these conditions in Brazil. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop an easy to apply diagnostic tool, to be validated, allowing an epidemiological survey regarding TMD prevalence in the Brazilian population. This is a study of instrument construction, which followed the steps of evidence of validity. The instrument was divided into two parts: a questionnaire and a clinical protocol. The instrument was based on pre-existing instruments in the literature and on the clinical experience of the research group responsible for this study. The instrument went through the Validity Evidence Based on the Content and on the Response Process steps. As a result, there were 3 versions of the instrument. The first comprising a questionnaire with 09 questions and a 12 items clinical protocol; after the content validation phase, the instrument was condensed to 5 questions and 8 items clinical protocol (2nd version). The 2nd version was validated by the response process and the number of items was maintained, but some instructions for the future surveyor were included. Thus, the product of this study is a diagnostic instrument entitled Epidemiological Diagnostic Instrument - IDE / DTM. The evidence of validity allowed relevant modifications and made this instrument more concise and appropriate to its objective.