Effects of oral health literacy program on oral health care behaviors of working people in workplace

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral health literacy program on oral health care behaviors of working people in workplace. The 44 subjects were classified as an experimental group (n=22) and a control group (n=22) by simple random sampling of working people in workplace at Rayong Province. The experimental group received the 6 week – oral health literacy program. The program was composed of 6 activities: 1) Dental Social Security Scheme 2) Oral cleaning 3) self-oral examination 4) dietary 5) oral health risk behaviors, and 6) creating an environment for oral health. The constructed questionnaires used in both groups before, after and follow up experiment were about 1) personal information 2) oral health literacy, and 3) oral health care behaviors. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, and paired t-test, independent 2 t-test, and Repeated Measure ANOVA at a 5% significance level. After the program implementation, the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in mean scores for oral health literacy and oral health care behaviors after intervention and better than the control group (p < 0.05). After the one-month follow up the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in mean scores for oral health literacy and oral health behaviors after intervention (p < 0.05).

            The oral health literacy program result shows improved oral health care behaviors among the working people in workplace. This program can be applied and implemented by various organizations and entities as policies and programs for the oral health of their personnel.