Validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Oral Health Literacy-Adult Questionnaire (OHL-AQ-T) and its association with periodontal status: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to translate the Oral Health Literacy-Adult Questionnaire (OHL-AQ) into Turkish (OHL-AQ-T), culturally adapt it, and evaluate its validity and reliability. Additionally, associations with periodontal status, sociodemographic characteristics, and oral health behaviors were investigated. This cross-sectional study included 204 Turkish adults aged 18–68 years. The OHL-AQ was translated using the back-translation method. Content validity was assessed using the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI). Construct validity was evaluated by exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA). Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Participants were classified according to periodontal status, and associations between OHL scores and participant characteristics were analyzed. The OHL-AQ-T demonstrated excellent content validity (CVR = 0.98; CVI = 1.00). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value was 0.817, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant (χ²=873.363, p < 0.001). EFA supported a one-factor structure explaining 28.805% of the total variance. However, CFA fit indices did not consistently support a one-factor structure. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.825) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.88) were satisfactory. Lower OHL-AQ-T scores were observed among participants with periodontitis, lower educational attainment, and no interdental cleaning (all p < 0.01). OHL-AQ-T scores were negatively correlated with age ( r =-0.237, p = 0.001). No significant differences were observed according to sex, toothbrushing frequency, or smoking status (all p > 0.05). The OHL-AQ-T demonstrated good internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Given the limited generalizability of the single-center sample, further evaluation of the OHL-AQ-T psychometric properties in more diverse populations is needed. Not applicable. This was a crosssectional observational study and was not registered as a clinical trial.