Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior of Nursing and Technical Students in Croatia

Abstract Objective The aim of this study is to test knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of the students from the Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences in relation to oral health, and to determine the respectable differences between students of nursing and technical study programs. Participants and Methods Students were randomly selected to represent a convenient sample. A total of 140 students from nursing and technical studies were interviewed by using the World health organization Oral Health Questionnaire, adapted to fit the study purposes. Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics were used to determine frequency distribution and percentages for all variables. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The distribution of participants regarding gender was significantly different between the study programs (p = 0.000). Significant difference was also observed in their perceived socioeconomic status (p = 0.001). A significant difference was found between the study programs regarding the knowledge whether bad teeth could impair general health (p = 0.001), could tooth decay and periodontal disease may be prevented (p = 0.002), as well as the importance of regular dental check-ups for prevention of tooth decay (p = 0.028). There were significant differences regarding dietary habits and alcohol consumption in the past 30 days between the observed study programs (p = 0.000) while no significant differences were found regarding tobacco and tobacco product use (p = 0.170). Conclusion Results obtained and presented in this paper show better knowledge and more favorable habits and behaviors among the students from nursing study program compared with the technical ones. Still all students’ habits should be changed to improve oral health. To change attitudes and influence habits, effective oral health promotion programs are needed; not only in colleges, but also in primary and secondary schools.

[1]  Shengkai Liao,et al.  Relationship between oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, practice, self-rated oral health and oral health-related quality of life among Chinese college students: a structural equation modeling approach , 2021, BMC Oral Health.

[2]  F. Seymen,et al.  Investigating the Level of Knowledge of the Community about Oral and Dental Health , 2020, European Journal of Dentistry.

[3]  Peter R. Reuter,et al.  The influence of eating habits on the academic performance of university students , 2020, Journal of American college health : J of ACH.

[4]  J. L. Gray,et al.  Impact of oral and oropharyngeal cancer diagnosis on smoking cessation patients and cohabiting smokers , 2019, Tobacco induced diseases.

[5]  F. Abdelgawad,et al.  Oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviour of dental students in a private university , 2019, BDJ Open.

[6]  F. Abdelgawad,et al.  Oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviour of dental students in a private university , 2019, BDJ Open.

[7]  Rami Saadeh,et al.  Relationship between General Health Behaviors and Oral Health Behaviors in 2015–2016 NHANES Adult Population , 2019, European Journal of Dentistry.

[8]  M. El Tantawi,et al.  The Link between Oral and General Health , 2019, International journal of dentistry.

[9]  S. Behura,et al.  Assessment of Oral Hygiene Knowledge, Practices, and Concepts of Tobacco Usage among Engineering Students in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. , 2017, The journal of contemporary dental practice.

[10]  M. Nazir,et al.  Awareness about the effects of tobacco consumption on oral health and the possibility of smoking behavior among male Saudi schoolchildren , 2017, European Journal of Dentistry.

[11]  I. Perry,et al.  Alcohol consumption among university students: a typology of consumption to aid the tailoring of effective public health policy , 2016, BMJ Open.

[12]  Y. Yahata,et al.  The effect of education on oral health students’ attitudes in Australia and New Zealand , 2016, European Journal of Dentistry.

[13]  Anjali,et al.  Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Behaviour among Secondary School Children in Chandigarh. , 2016, Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR.

[14]  Malay Kumar,et al.  Oral cancer: Etiology and risk factors: A review. , 2016, Journal of cancer research and therapeutics.

[15]  Jeswin Jacob,et al.  Knowledge, attitude, and practices of oral hygiene among college students in Bengaluru city , 2016 .

[16]  Altaf H Shah,et al.  Oral hygiene behavior, smoking, and perceived oral health problems among university students , 2015, Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry.

[17]  Yousef A. AlJehani.  Risk Factors of Periodontal Disease: Review of the Literature , 2014, International journal of dentistry.

[18]  D. Richards,et al.  Oral Diseases affect some 3.9 Billion people , 2013, Evidence-Based Dentistry.

[19]  L. Tong,et al.  A comparative study of oral health attitudes and behavior using the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) between dental and civil engineering students in Colombia. , 2013, Journal of oral science.

[20]  Christian Brühwiler,et al.  The Impact of Gender on Interest in Science Topics and the Choice of Scientific and Technical Vocations , 2011 .

[21]  C. la Vecchia,et al.  Alcohol consumption and cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx from 1988 to 2009: an update , 2010, European journal of cancer prevention : the official journal of the European Cancer Prevention Organisation.

[22]  P. Petersen.  Sociobehavioural risk factors in dental caries - international perspectives. , 2005, Community dentistry and oral epidemiology.

[23]  P. Petersen,et al.  Oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of adults in China. , 2005, International dental journal.

[24]  Poul Erik Petersen,et al.  The World Oral Health Report 2003: continuous improvement of oral health in the 21st century--the approach of the WHO Global Oral Health Programme. , 2003, Community dentistry and oral epidemiology.

[25]  S. Honkala,et al.  Dental Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviour among Students at the Kuwait University Health Sciences Centre , 2003, Medical Principles and Practice.

[26]  I. Nedzelskienė,et al.  Self-reported oral health behavior and attitudes of dental and technology students in Lithuania. , 2014, Stomatologija.

[27]  L. S. Kaira,et al.  Oral Health-Related Knowledge , Attitude and Practice among Nursing Students of Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital : A Questionnaire Study , 2012 .