open access

Vol 65, No 3 (2014)
Original article
Submitted: 2014-09-26
Published online: 2014-09-26
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Effectiveness of oral health education on knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene status among 12–15-year-old schoolchildren of fishermen of Kutch district, Gujarat, India

Yatish Kumar Sanadhya, Jigar P. Thakkar, Darshan Devang Divakar, Sonia Pareek, Kushpal Rathore, Asif Yousuf, Shravani Ganta, Geetika Sobti, Ronak Maniar, Kailash Asawa, Mridula Tak, Shivalingesh Kamate
DOI: 10.5603/IMH.2014.0022
·
IMH 2014;65(3):99-105.

open access

Vol 65, No 3 (2014)
MARITIME MEDICINE Original article
Submitted: 2014-09-26
Published online: 2014-09-26

Abstract

Background: To assess the effectiveness of oral health education on oral health knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene status among 12–15-year-old school children of fishermen of Kutch district, Gujarat, India.

Materials and methods: A before-and-after experimental study was conducted among all (n = 205) the 12–15-year-old children from two schools of Bhadreshwar village of Mundra taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat, India from January 2013 to December 2013. At baseline, children were assessed for oral health knowledge, attitude and practices using a self-administered structured questionnaire and oral hygiene was assessed using Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S). Oral health education was provided after baseline assessment, at 3 months and at 6 months. Follow up study was done after 1 year from baseline. Statistical tests applied were Independent t test, paired t test and McNemar test. Level of significance and confidence level were set at 5% and 95%, respectively.

Results: Mean OHI-S scores reduced significantly at 1 year follow up interval. All the questions showed statistically significant improvement in knowledge, attitude and practices except the frequency of change of tooth brush which showed no improvement.

Conclusions: The results of the study reflects the accomplishment of upgrading oral health knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene status of fishermen children through school oral health education programme. Organizing oral health education in high school children of fishermen community could lead to improvement in students’ oral hygiene to ultimately enhance their oral health.

Abstract

Background: To assess the effectiveness of oral health education on oral health knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene status among 12–15-year-old school children of fishermen of Kutch district, Gujarat, India.

Materials and methods: A before-and-after experimental study was conducted among all (n = 205) the 12–15-year-old children from two schools of Bhadreshwar village of Mundra taluka of Kutch district, Gujarat, India from January 2013 to December 2013. At baseline, children were assessed for oral health knowledge, attitude and practices using a self-administered structured questionnaire and oral hygiene was assessed using Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S). Oral health education was provided after baseline assessment, at 3 months and at 6 months. Follow up study was done after 1 year from baseline. Statistical tests applied were Independent t test, paired t test and McNemar test. Level of significance and confidence level were set at 5% and 95%, respectively.

Results: Mean OHI-S scores reduced significantly at 1 year follow up interval. All the questions showed statistically significant improvement in knowledge, attitude and practices except the frequency of change of tooth brush which showed no improvement.

Conclusions: The results of the study reflects the accomplishment of upgrading oral health knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene status of fishermen children through school oral health education programme. Organizing oral health education in high school children of fishermen community could lead to improvement in students’ oral hygiene to ultimately enhance their oral health.

Get Citation

Keywords

attitude, knowledge, oral health education, oral hygiene, practice

About this article
Title

Effectiveness of oral health education on knowledge, attitude, practices and oral hygiene status among 12–15-year-old schoolchildren of fishermen of Kutch district, Gujarat, India

Journal

International Maritime Health

Issue

Vol 65, No 3 (2014)

Article type

Original article

Pages

99-105

Published online

2014-09-26

Page views

4306

Article views/downloads

7308

DOI

10.5603/IMH.2014.0022

Bibliographic record

IMH 2014;65(3):99-105.

Keywords

attitude
knowledge
oral health education
oral hygiene
practice

Authors

Yatish Kumar Sanadhya
Jigar P. Thakkar
Darshan Devang Divakar
Sonia Pareek
Kushpal Rathore
Asif Yousuf
Shravani Ganta
Geetika Sobti
Ronak Maniar
Kailash Asawa
Mridula Tak
Shivalingesh Kamate

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