Oral Health Literacy Rate Among Schoolteachers—A Quantitative Study

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate oral health literacy (OHL) rate among schoolteachers of Abbottabad city by using structured questionnaire divided in sections of reading skills, numeracy, listening skills, and appropriate decision-making skills.

Materials and Methods Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among schoolteachers with survey method. Total 159 participants were selected as sample from 10 different local schools of Abbottabad city. Data was gathered by using OHL-AQ (oral health literacy-adult questionnaire) with convenient sampling technique. Responses were calculated by using IBM SPSS.V.26 and descriptive analyses were performed.

Results Satisfactory results were seen among schoolteachers: high-level of OHL, 44.65%; moderate level of OHL, 40.9 and low-level OHL, 14.46%. The questionnaire section, “numeracy-calculation skills” and “appropriate decision-making skills,” exhibited high scores.

Conclusion This study concluded that the OHL rate among schoolteachers was satisfactory. But as teachers play a pivotal role in shaping and influencing young minds, setting a goal of achieving 100% would ensure commitment toward better oral health of their wards. Those participants who showed considerably low OHL level is alarming for oral health challenges.

Keywords

school teacher - OHL level - score - OHL-AQ

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
12. März 2024

• References

• 1 Global Review on Oral Health in Ageing Societies. Accessed December 16, 2023 at: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/67584
• 2 Nutbeam D. The evolving concept of health literacy. Soc Sci Med 2008; 67 (12) 2072-2078
• 3 Ranjbaran S, Chollou KM, Babazadeh T. Assessment of health literacy and health promoting behaviors among the urban adult population. Ethiop J Health Sci 2022; 32 (05) 985-992
• 4 Bridges SM, Parthasarathy DS, Au TKF, Wong HM, Yiu CKY, McGrath CP. Development of functional oral health literacy assessment instruments: application of literacy and cognitive theories. J Public Health Dent 2014; 74 (02) 110-119
• 5 Roundtable on Health Literacy, Introduction; Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice; Institute of Medicine. Oral Health Literacy. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2013 Feb 19. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207126/
• 6 Naghibi Sistani MM, Montazeri A, Yazdani R, Murtomaa H. New oral health literacy instrument for public health: development and pilot testing. J Investig Clin Dent 2014; 5 (04) 313-321
• 7 Baskaradoss JK. Relationship between oral health literacy and oral health status. BMC Oral Health 2018; 18 (01) 172
• 8 Batista MJ, Lawrence HP, Sousa MDLR. Oral health literacy and oral health outcomes in an adult population in Brazil. BMC Public Health 2017; 18 (01) 60
• 9 Ahmed W, Muzzamil Ali Shah S, Khayyam U, Sheikh T, Anwer N. Measuring oral health literacy in dental patients: contribution towards preventive dentistry in Pakistan. J Pak Dent Assoc 2017; 26 (04) 176-180
• 10 Wehmeyer MMH, Corwin CL, Guthmiller JM, Lee JY. The impact of oral health literacy on periodontal health status. J Public Health Dent 2014; 74 (01) 80-87
• 11 Kanupuru KK, Fareed N, Sudhir KM. Relationship between oral health literacy and oral health status among college students. Oral Health Prev Dent 2015; 13 (04) 323-330
• 12 Lapidos A, Shaefer HL, Gwozdek A. Toward a better understanding of dental appointment-keeping behavior. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2016; 44 (01) 85-91
• 13 Richards D, Kassebaum NJ, Bernabé E. et al. Oral diseases affect some 3.9 billion people. Evid Based Dent 2013; 14 (02) 35
• 14 Aldowah O, Assiry AA, Mujallid NF. et al Assessment of oral health knowledge, literacy, and attitude among schoolteachers towards oral health - a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health 2023; 23 (01) 392
• 15 Birch S, Bridgman C, Brocklehurst P. et al. Prevention in practice - a summary. BMC Oral Health 2015; 15 (01) 1-9
• 16 Bridgman C, McGrady MG. Clinical leadership and prevention in practice: is a needs led preventive approach to the delivery of care to improve quality, outcomes and value in primary dental care practice a realistic concept?. BMC Oral Health 2015; 15 Suppl 1(Suppl 1): S2
• 17 Guo Y, Logan HL, Dodd VJ, Muller KE, Marks JG, Riley III JL. Health literacy: a pathway to better oral health. Am J Public Health 2014; 104 (07) e85-e91
• 18 Sekhar V. P S, M A E, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice of school teachers towards oral health in Pondicherry. J Clin Diagn Res 2014; 8 (08) ZC12-ZC15
• 19 WebmedCentral.com. Factors Affecting the Knowledge on Prevention of Oral Diseases among School Teachers of Dharwad City, A Survey from India. Accessed December 16, 2023 at: http://www.webmedcentral.com/article_view/1618
• 20 Macnab A, Kasangaki A. 'Many voices, one song': a model for an oral health programme as a first step in establishing a health promoting school. Health Promot Int 2012; 27 (01) 63-73
• 21 Tikare S, AlQahtani N. Oral health knowledge and attitudes of primary school teachers toward school-based oral health programs in Abha-Khamis, Saudi Arabia. Saudi J Oral Sci 2017; 4 (02) 72
• 22 Naghibi Sistani MM, Montazeri A, Yazdani R, Murtomaa H. New oral health literacy instrument for public health: development and pilot testing. J Investig Clin Dent 2014; 5 (04) 313-321
• 23 WHO EMRO | Primary oral health care: a missing link in public health in Pakistan | Volume 22, issue 9 | EMHJ volume 22,. 2016 . Accessed December 16, 2023 at: https://www.emro.who.int/emhj-volume-22-2016/volume-22-issue-9/primary-oral-health-care-a-missing-link-in-public-health-in-pakistan.html
• 24 Landmark global strategy on oral health adopted at World Health Assembly 75. Accessed December 16, 2023 at: https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/landmark-global-strategy-on-oral-health-adopted-at-world-health-assembly-75
• 25 Maganur PC, Satish V, Marwah N, Vishwas TD, Dayanand MC. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of school teachers toward oral health in Davangere, India. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017; 10 (01) 89-95
• 26 Al-Qahtani SM, Razak PA, Khan SDAA. Knowledge and practice of preventive measures for oral health care among male intermediate schoolchildren in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17 (03) 703
• 27 Bourgeois DM, Phantumvanit P, Llodra JC, Horn V, Carlile M, Eiselé JL. Rationale for the prevention of oral diseases in primary health care: an international collaborative study in oral health education. Int Dent J 2014; 64 Suppl 2(Suppl 2): 1-11
• 28 Asao Y, Iwamoto Y, Chea C. et al. The effect of improving oral health literacy among teachers on the oral health condition of primary schoolchildren in Cambodia. Eur J Paediatr Dent 2022; 23 (04) 321-326
• 29 An R, Li Q, Luo Y. et al Oral health literacy, oral health behavior, and oral health status among dental patients and associated factors. . medRxiv, 2022:2022.09.09.22279289. Doi: 10.1101/2022.09.09.22279289
• 30 Haleem A, Khan MK, Sufia S, Chaudhry S, Siddiqui MI, Khan AA. The role of repetition and reinforcement in school-based oral health education-a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health 2016; 16: 2
• 31 Sun Y, Li C, Zhao Y, Sun J. Trends and developments in oral health literacy: a scientometric research study (1991-2020). BDJ Open 2021; 7 (01) 13
• 32 Ramos-Gomez F, Tiwari T. Oral health literacy framework: the pathway to improved oral health. J Calif Dent Assoc 2021; 49 (12) 759-769
• 33 Safari-Moradabadi A, Rakhshanderou S, Ramezankhani A, Ghaffari M. Explaining the concept of oral health literacy: findings from an exploratory study. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2022; 50 (02) 106-114
• 34 Jagan P, Fareed N, Battur H, Khanagar S, Manohar B. Conceptual knowledge of oral health among school teachers in South India, India. Eur J Dent 2018; 12 (01) 43-48
• 35 Aljanakh M, Siddiqui AA, Mirza AJ. Teachers' knowledge about oral health and their interest in oral health education in Hail, Saudi Arabia. Int J Health Sci (Qassim) 2016; 10 (01) 87-93
• 36 Simon AK, Rao A, Rajesh G, Shenoy R, Pai MBH. Influence of oral health literacy on the oral health status of school teachers in Mangalore, India. J Indian Assoc Public Heal Dent 2018; 16 (02) 127-132
• 37 Umeizudike KA, Onajole AT, Ayanbadejo PO. Periodontal health knowledge of nonmedical professionals and their oral hygiene behavior in a teaching hospital in Nigeria. Eur J Gen Dent 2015; 4 (02) 48-54
• 38 Dawani N, Nisar N, Khan N, Syed S, Tanweer N. Oral health knowledge, attitude and self-practices of pre-school teachers of Karachi, Pakistan. JPDA 2013; 22: 47-51
• 39 Ahn Y, Kim ES, Lim DS, Jung SH, Kim MJ. A Study on Preschool Teachers Oral Health Knowledge and Behaviors in Sung-nam City. J Dent Hyg Sci 2001; 1 (01) 12-20