Search Results (70)

Background/Objectives: Mobile health (mHealth) technologies are increasingly used to support preventive oral care and patient self-management. CarieCheck is a Portuguese app intended to improve oral health literacy and support caries-risk self-assessment. This prospective pilot study focused on users’ perceived app quality and usability, assessed with uMARS-PT. Methods: Thirty participants from the academic community of Egas Moniz School of Health and Science used the app for 30 days and completed the uMARS-PT questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate mean scores for Engagement, Functionality, Aesthetics, Information Quality, Subjective Quality, and Perceived Impact. Results: The overall mean uMARS-PT score was 4.22, indicating excellent perceived quality. The highest domain scores were Functionality (4.51), Aesthetics (4.45), and Information Quality (4.22). Engagement (3.71) and Subjective Quality (3.05) were moderate. Perceived Impact (3.85) reflected self-reported perception of increased awareness and motivation regarding oral health behaviors. Conclusions: CarieCheck was rated highly in usability, aesthetics, and information quality. These findings suggest that CarieCheck may be considered as a digital tool for preventive education and user-supported caries-risk self-assessment. Larger, longer-term studies in diverse populations using objective behavioral and clinical outcomes are warranted. Full article

Background: Women’s empowerment has been significantly associated with improved child health outcomes. Cambodia, amid a rapid socioeconomic transition, offers a critical setting to examine how advancements in women’s empowerment over the past decade have influenced child immunization completion within the first two years of life. Methods: Data from the Cambodia Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2010, 2014, and 2021–22, encompassing 9222 women with recent births, were analyzed. Empowerment was measured across literacy and information access, employment, and decision-making domains. Multinomial logistic regression assessed associations between empowerment factors and completion of oral polio (OPV), diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (DTP), pneumococcal conjugate (PCV), and measles–rubella (MR) vaccines, adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic variables. Results: Between 2010 and 2022, women’s empowerment in Cambodia improved significantly, marked by higher literacy rates, nearly half of women completing primary education, and expanded digital access, with 82.4% owning mobile phones and approximately 50% using the internet daily. While non-working women slightly increased, agricultural employment declined by 20%, and cash earnings rose from 48.7% to 82.5%. Most women participated in major household decision-making, either independently or jointly. Completion rates for OPV, DTP, and PCV ranged from 79% to 83%, while just over half of children were fully vaccinated against measles. Higher maternal education and cash earnings were positively associated with OPV, DTP, and PCV completion but negatively associated with measles vaccination. Women in agricultural work were less likely to complete measles vaccination for their children than non-working women. Joint decision-making regarding the use of respondents’ income was associated with a higher likelihood of measles non-completion (OR = 2.26, 95% CI: 1.13–4.51), whereas joint decision-making about respondents’ health care was associated with a higher likelihood of measles completion (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.21–0.83). Conclusions: Women’s empowerment remains a key determinant of vaccination outcomes in Cambodia. The distinct pattern observed for measles suggests that vaccines scheduled for older ages encounter greater structural and behavioral barriers. To overcome these challenges, strategies should focus on enhancing defaulter tracking, implementing reminder systems, expanding outreach and catch-up programs, and improving the convenience of vaccination services. Full article

Background/Objectives: Within public health and preventive nutrition, food labeling plays a critical role in supporting healthier dietary behaviors. This study aimed to evaluate the behaviors, perceptions, and nutritional literacy of young adults from Iași, Romania, regarding simple carbohydrates (SCHO) consumption and food label-reading habits. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May–June 2023 using 20-item Likert-scale questionnaire completed by 150 participants aged 18–30 years. Statistical analysis included descriptive metrics, Chi-square tests, and Pearson’s correlation, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: The cohort consisted of 72% females (N = 108) and 28% males (N = 42), with 42.7% (N = 64) holding university degrees. Although 22% (N = 33) considered SCHO consumption highly important, only 13.3% (N = 20) frequently read nutrition labels (p ≤ 0.05). Dietary patterns showed that 27.3% primarily consumed sweets, while others combined sweets with carbonated beverages, dairy products, or whole grains; overall, 44% (N = 66) reported frequent sweet consumption. Label reading was highest for sweets (40.7%), lower for dairy products (19.3%) and soft drinks (9.3%). Additionally, 30.7% (N = 46) checked only expiration dates, whereas just 11.3% (N = 17) reviewed nutritional content. Trust in label accuracy was low: 48% (N = 72) expressed neutrality and 14% (N = 21) disagreed. Although 77.3% (N = 116) recognized the link between sugar intake and dental caries, only 23.3% (N = 35) felt well informed about oral health risks. Taste dominated food selection (68.7%), while nutritional value was cited by 16.7% (N = 25). Conclusions: Young adults from Iași demonstrated notable gaps in nutritional literacy and suboptimal dietary behaviors, emphasizing the need for structured educational strategies to improve preventive practices relevant to systemic and oral health. Full article

Aim: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a widespread and multifactorial oral disease that affects children globally. Parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors are crucial in preventing ECC and supporting oral health. This study evaluated Croatian parents’ understanding of children’s oral health, their awareness of ECC risk factors, and their oral hygiene practices. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous and voluntary online questionnaire from October to December 2024 among 948 parents of children aged 1–7 years across Croatia. The study assessed parents’ knowledge of oral health, their understanding of the relationship between risk factors and early childhood caries, habits related to oral hygiene care, children’s experiences with oral health problems, parents’ self-assessment of their knowledge, as well as both their own and their children’s general and oral health and hygiene practices. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Kruskal–Wallis test. Results: Overall parental knowledge was moderate, with significantly higher scores among older parents, those with university education, healthcare workers, and families with higher incomes (p < 0.05). Parents demonstrated good awareness of the importance of supervising tooth brushing until age seven (93.8%) and fluoride use (81.8%); yet gaps persisted regarding bacterial transmission, tooth eruption, and early orthodontic evaluation. Preventive dental visits were frequently delayed, and only 25.0% of parents reported using interdental cleaning aids. Caries was the most common oral health issue among children (22.3%). Conclusions: Despite moderate awareness and some adherence to preventive measures, significant knowledge and practice gaps remain among Croatian parents. Targeted educational interventions and nationwide preventive strategies are necessary to strengthen oral health literacy and reduce ECC prevalence. Full article

Background: Over the past several decades, the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has risen markedly worldwide, posing serious threats to both maternal and child health by increasing adverse pregnancy outcomes and long-term metabolic risks. Developing effective risk prediction tools for early detection and intervention has become the most important clinical priority in this field. The current GDM prediction models primarily rely on non-modifiable factors, for example age and body mass index, while modifiable factors such as lifestyle and health literacy, although strongly associated with GDM, have not been fully utilized in risk assessment. This study sought to establish and validate a nomogram prediction model combining modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, with the goal of identifying high-risk Chinese pregnant women with GDM at an early stage and promoting targeted prevention and personalized prenatal management. Methods: A multicenter study was conducted across 7 maternal health institutions in Southern China (2021–2023), enrolling 806 singleton pregnant women (14–23⁺⁶ weeks). The collected data included sociodemographic, clinical history, and modifiable factors collected through validated questionnaires: dietary quality, physical activity level, sleep quality, and nutrition and health literacy. GDM was diagnosed via 75 g oral glucose tolerance test at 24–28 weeks. Predictive factors were identified through multi-variable logistic regression. A nomogram model was developed (70% modeling group) and validated (30% validation group). Receiver operator characteristic curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate the prediction ability, the degree of calibration, and the clinical benefit of the model, respectively. Results: The finalized risk prediction model included non-modifiable factors such as maternal age, pre-pregnancy weight, and maternal polycystic ovary syndrome, as well as modifiable factors including dietary quality, physical activity level, sleep quality, nutrition and health literacy. The application of the nomogram in the modeling group and the validation groups showed that the model had high stability, favorable predictive ability, good calibration effect and clinical practicality. Conclusions: Overall, the integrated model demonstrates significant clinical utility as it facilitates the prompt identification of individuals at heightened risk and offers actionable targets for personalized interventions. In terms of future implementation, this model can be integrated into prenatal care as a rapid scoring table during early pregnancy consultations or incorporated into mobile health applications. This approach fosters precise prevention strategies for GDM in maternal health by emphasizing nutrition and health literacy, supplemented by coordinated adjustments in diet, physical activity, and sleep. Full article

Residing in public housing is associated with adverse health outcomes, partly due to higher prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors linked to lower socioeconomic status. Health promotion and disease prevention interventions can mitigate these disparities but are often underutilized due to accessibility barriers and low health literacy. Delivering interventions directly within public housing areas may enhance reach and effectiveness. However, synthesized knowledge of such interventions remains limited. This scoping review aimed to identify and summarize available evidence on health-promoting and disease-preventive interventions in these settings. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRIMA-ScR) guidelines. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus. Articles were screened using predefined criteria. Intervention details, key findings, and digital components were extracted and categorized. 31 articles were included, covering eight intervention categories: (1) Health promoter programs, (2) Nutrition programs, (3) Health screenings, (4) Health promotion messages, (5) Physical activity programs, (6) Mental health programs, (7) Oral health programs, and (8) Other health interventions. Five articles incorporated digital components. This review highlights the value of resident involvement, demonstrated by positive outcomes in interventions with strong community engagement. Despite promising effects, digital health components were underutilized, representing a missed opportunity for scalable, cost-effective interventions. Full article

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess clinical-functional vulnerability (CFV) and associated factors in community-dwelling older adults treated in primary care. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with non-institutionalized elderly individuals ≥60 years randomly selected from five Health Units in Jundiaí/SP, Brazil, in 2023. Sociodemographic data, health behaviors, and data on oral health (number of teeth; chewing: good/fair/poor), cognitive function (10-CS), nutritional status (MNA), health literacy (HLS-14), sarcopenia (SARC-F+CC) and frailty (IVCF-20) were collected. Descriptive and bivariate analyses between the outcome (CFV) and the independent variables were performed using the chi-squared test and binary logistic regression models (p < 0.05). Results: A total of 211 older adults participated in this study; 72% were female and the mean age was 70.41 years (±7.45). Regarding CFV, a high risk was identified in 9.5% of the participants (n = 19), a moderate risk in 34.6% (n = 73), and a low risk in 55.9% (n = 118). After adjusting the regression model, the following variables were associated with CFV: lower income (OR = 1.90; 95%CI: 1.02–3.55), poor (OR = 5.18; 95%CI: 2.13–12.63) and fair (OR = 2.36; 95%CI: 1.10–5.05) chewing, risk of malnutrition or malnourished (OR = 2.36; 95%CI: 1.23–5.52), and low literacy (OR = 1.86; 95%CI: 1.09–3.45). Conclusion: Socioeconomic factors, nutritional status (underweight or malnourished), poor or fair chewing, and low health literacy were associated with CFV among older people. Strengthening primary health care through targeted interventions may help prevent frailty or delay its progression. Understanding the predictors of frailty can guide health professionals, managers, and researchers in designing preventive and health promotion strategies, as well as public policies within Primary Health Care. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to examine the utilization of dental care services according to the health information literacy among Korean adults. Methods: This study used secondary raw data from the 9th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2023), which included 3356 adults aged 20 years and older. Frequency analysis, cross-analysis, and logistic regression were performed (p < 0.05). Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software (ver. 22.0). Results: Using cross-analysis to identify the relationship between health information understanding and oral examinations within the last year, statistically significant differences were confirmed for all questions (p < 0.05). A statistically significant association was identified between individuals’ level of health information literacy and their engagement in preventive dental care, particularly the utilization of scaling procedures (p < 0.05). The higher their understanding of health information, the more likely they were to have undergone an oral examination in the previous year (nearly twice as likely higher; p = 0.003). The higher the understanding of health information regarding preventive treatment (scaling), the more likely the participant was to receive it (i.e., 2.2 times higher; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Educational interventions and policy support to improve the ability to understand health information can be important strategies for promoting the practice of preventive oral health and improving oral health level in people. Full article

Oral diseases remain prevalent, although most of them can be prevented. Oral health inequities represent a critical problem of social injustice worldwide. Health literacy has emerged as a potential determinant of oral health disparities, comparable in impact to socioeconomic factors. This study explored the impact of socioeconomic factors and health literacy on oral health in young adults in Norway using data from the third wave of the Fit Futures study (n = 705), which included questionnaires and clinical oral examinations. Measures included self-reported oral health, oral health-related quality of life (OIDP-8), caries experience (DMFT), gingivitis (BOP), health literacy (HLS-Q12) and socioeconomic factors. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that lower health literacy was associated with poorer self-reported oral health (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93–0.98) and lower oral health-related quality of life (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90–0.98). Higher health literacy was associated with a greater caries experience (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09). Lower educational attainment was associated with less favorable outcomes across all oral health measures (OR: 1.7–2.6, all p < 0.05). These findings suggest that both health literacy and education influence oral health. Interventions aimed at enhancing health literacy and reducing barriers should be tested to empower young people and support their long-term oral health. Full article

Grounded in health behavior theory, this study examined patterns of preventive health behavior in a culturally diverse, multilingual region of northern Italy using data from a representative population survey (n = 2090). Preventive behaviors were assessed using the 16-item Good Health Practices (GHP-16) scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) identified five behavioral profiles, ranging from ‘Globally Low Engagers’ to ‘Comprehensive High Engagers’. Binary logistic regression compared ‘Globally Low Engagers’ to ‘Broadly Moderate Preventers’, examining predictors including gender, age, education, language, chronic disease status, health literacy (HLS-EU-Q16), patient activation (PAM-10), mistrust of health information, living situation, and healthcare employment. The results showed that men, younger adults, individuals with low patient activation, those living alone, and respondents with high mistrust of health information had higher odds of belonging to the low engagement group. Health literacy and language group membership were not significantly associated with the profile membership. Item-level comparisons revealed gender differences in information-seeking, oral hygiene, and dietary behaviors, with men reporting lower engagement. These findings support a segmentation-based understanding of preventive health behavior and highlight the need to address personal capacities and contextual barriers in interventions while challenging assumptions of uniformly higher female health vigilance. Full article

The objective of this scoping review was to map out the cultural themes related to oral health practices, beliefs, and experiences in Nigeria; explore mythologies about oral health in Nigeria; identify the perceived cultural significance of oral health within the Nigerian communities; and determine the implications of study findings for oral health promotion and intervention strategies. This was a scoping review. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. Published studies in peer-reviewed journals written in English that investigated culture and oral health were included. All forms of literature reviews, editorials, or opinion pieces were excluded. Information on the study characteristics and population characteristics, cultural determinants of oral health, oral health outcomes, and the methods used to assess cultural factors and oral health outcomes was extracted. A narrative synthesis of the findings was conducted to identify key themes in the literature. The 37 articles, published between 1998 and 2024, that met the eligibility criteria wrote on the prevalence of a culture of self-medication and self-care, myths that affect utilization of oral health services, cultures that expose people to increased risk of poor oral health, and cultural norms, beliefs, and practices that facilitate oral health. The findings emphasize the need for culturally tailored strategies to improve oral health literacy and reduce disparities. This review underscores the potential to foster community engagement, trust, and sustainable improvements in oral health outcomes by aligning oral health promotion efforts with Nigeria’s culture. In conclusion, cultural norms, beliefs, and practices can be barriers and facilitate oral health in Nigeria. Identifying and understanding the norms, beliefs, and practices that affect oral health can help improve oral health education and promotion so that they are culturally relevant and effective. Full article

Background/Objectives: School teachers need to have a better understanding of oral health aspects as schools serve as an effective environment for learning. Educators hold a significant position in conveying the importance they attribute to oral health in their lives. According to the World Health Organization, school teachers should include oral health promotion activities to evaluate students’ oral health, track injuries, illnesses, and absenteeism related to oral health, advocate oral health prevention, and serve as role models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the conceptual understanding of oral health among primary school teachers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Data for this study were collected from 404 primary school teachers using a structured and pre-validated comprehensive measure of oral health knowledge (CMOHK) questionnaire. Results: The distribution of CMOHK scores indicated that 247 (61.2%) participants demonstrated good conceptual knowledge, 95 (23.5%) participants exhibited fair knowledge, and 62 (15.3%) participants were classified as having poor knowledge. The male group exhibited lower values for the CMOHK score in comparison with the female group; however, these findings were not statistically significant. The findings indicated that the group of government school teachers exhibited higher values for the dependent variable CMOHK score compared to their private school counterparts. Conclusions: The average CMOHK score observed in this study is regarded as fair. It is crucial for school teachers to possess strong oral health knowledge, as they significantly influence the oral health knowledge and behaviors of children. Full article

Background: Age-related conditions, such as being misinformed, having limited oral health literacy, and the loss of manual dexterity, autonomy, or visual acuity, may act as barriers to oral health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two different oral hygiene instruction methods on oral hygiene and the self-perception of oral health in older adults. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included participants aged 65 and older who completed a questionnaire on socio-economic factors, self-perceived oral health, and oral hygiene behaviours. Oral hygiene status was assessed using the Oral Hygiene Index—Simplified (OHI-S). Participants were randomly allocated into two different groups, according to the method of oral hygiene instruction: a “General Approach” (GA) (n = 28) and a “Personalized Technique” (PT) (n = 26). After two months, a follow-up session was conducted. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential methodologies. Results: The GA and PT methods were effective in promoting oral hygiene behaviours, with a significant increase in the use of interdental devices, but no significant differences were found between the two methods. Self-perceived oral health did not change significantly, neither after the instruction nor between methods. Significant improvements were achieved with both methods for the OHI-S, with significant differences between the two methods for the Calculus Index, where the PT achieved better results. Conclusions: Oral hygiene education leads to improvements in the adoption of oral hygiene behaviours and clinical indicators. Furthermore, a personalized approach promoted better results in clinical indicators. Full article

MHealth strategies have been used in various health areas, and mobile apps have been used in the context of health self-management. They can be considered an adjuvant intervention in oral health literacy, mainly for people with special health needs. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the improvement of oral health literacy in patients with special needs when using digital platforms. A systematic literature review, based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines, was the main research method employed in this study. A search was undertaken in PubMed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases, according to the relevant Mesh descriptors, their synonyms, and free terms (Entry Terms). Studies published between the years 2012 and 2023 were included. Two researchers independently assessed the quality of the included studies by completing the Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale questionnaire. The analysis corpus comprised 5 articles among the 402 articles selected after applying the inclusion/exclusion criteria (k = 0.97). The evidence from the considered articles is consensual regarding the effectiveness of using new technologies and innovations in promoting oral health literacy in patients with special health needs. The interventions were based on using the Illustration Reinforcement Communication System, inspired by the Picture Exchange Communication System, Nintendo^® Wii™ TV, virtual reality, smartphones, with software applications to read messages sent, Audio Tactile Performance technique, and Art package. One study had a low-quality assessment, and four had a high quality. The evidence from the articles included in this systematic review is consistent regarding the effectiveness of using new technologies and innovations in promoting oral health literacy in patients with special health needs. Full article

Background and Objectives: Behavior management as a set of clinical techniques to induce desirable clinical treatment and subsequent compliance behaviors in children and families varies internationally based on professional training, access to care, health literacy, and societal norms. This report proposes non-typical diagnostic considerations of additional inherent behavioral conditions and familial and social qualifiers that may help predict success both at the chairside and in compliance with home self-care behaviors to reduce caries susceptibility. Methods: A review of the medical and dental literature provides ample support for the consideration of changing characteristics of both the patient and the environment. Results: The current recommendations for choice of behavior guidance in direct clinical care, as used in the USA, often fall short of efficacy for a variety of reasons including the provider limitations, the extent and difficulty of treatment, and most recently appreciated, the complexity of negative childhood experiences, subclinical behavioral disorders, and immutable negative determinants of health outside the dental setting affecting interaction with health professionals. These same factors, such as family dysfunction and societal stresses, also impact compliance with out-of-clinic preventive efforts that many oral health care providers rely upon to help mitigate treatment limitations in reaching children. There are also behavioral elements of compliance and attitudes toward health that dentists need to recognize. Conclusions: A broader, more inclusive concept of behavior guidance to include factors beyond those typically associated with a dental patient affecting treatment and compliance with preventive behaviors may be beneficial. Every population and patient will have differing characteristics and require individualized care. Full article