Oral Health Literacy and Oral Health Behavior among Adolescents in Babol 2019

Mosharafeh  Chaleshgar-Kordasiabi; Salehe  Chapary; Zahra  Eshkevarkiayi; Mina   Rafinezhad-Naghibi; Masoumeh   Abbasi- Shavazi; Atena  Ramezan

doi:10.18502/jhs.v9i3.7317

Mosharafeh Chaleshgar-Kordasiabi Assistant Professor of Health Education and Promotion, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Salehe Chapary Public Health student, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Mazandaran Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Zahra Eshkevarkiayi Public Health student, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Mazandaran Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Mina Rafinezhad-Naghibi BSc of Public Health, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
Masoumeh Abbasi- Shavazi Assistant Professor of Health Education and Promotion, Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Atena Ramezan Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Department of Nutrition and Basic Sciences, Faculty of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jhs.v9i3.7317

Keywords: Adolescents, Oral Health Literacy, Behavior, Oral Health

Abstract

Background: The process of obtaining oral health information, evaluating its concepts and using appropriate prevention and treatment processes in the field of Oral health literacy (OHL) is within the scope of health literacy and is the link between culture and society, health system, education system, and oral health consequences. The purpose of the current study was to investigate OHL in first-grade high school students in Babol.

Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional study on 383 high school students in Babol 2019 using the multi-stage cluster sampling method in the first stage of school selection and in the second stage of class selection. The data were collected using demographic, oral health behaviors assessment, and Oral Health Literacy Questionnaire. OHL questionnaire has 17 questions in four sections of reading comprehension, numeracy, listening, and decision making. Regression analysis, ANOVA, T-test, and chi-square test were used for data analysis (SPSS 23).

Findings: The mean score of students' OHL was 8.33 ± 2.004, and 11.7%, 26.1%, and 61.9% of the students were with adequate, borderline, and inadequate levels of OHL, respectively. According to the analysis, OHL had a significant relationship with income, father’s education, tooth brushing, and use of beverage foods.

Conclusion: The results showed that OHL was insufficient among students, and more efforts and interventions were required to improve oral health and increase oral health literacy among student.