Factors Affecting Oral Health Care Behaviors of Grade 6 Students in Nam Khun District, Ubon Ratchathani Province

Abstract

This cross-sectional analytical study aimed study predisposing factors, enabling factors, reinforcing factors and oral health care behaviors, found relationships between predisposing factors, enabling factors, and reinforcing factors with oral health care behaviors of Grade 6 students in Nam Khun District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. Data were collected between September and November 2023. The sample group consisted of 138 grade 6 students, selected through multi-stage random sampling. Data were collected by questionnaires on factors related to oral health care behavior of Grade 6 students in Nam Khun District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The relationship was analyzed using Chi-square and Spearman Correlation Coefficient statistics.
The results showed percent of the predisposing factors in knowledge, attitude, enabling factors and oral health care behaviors were at moderate level (46.38%), (60.14%), (57.25%) and (85.51%). The reinforcing factors was at high level (67.39%). From the study of the relationship, it was found that the leading factor in personal information, students pocket money per day (r_s = 0.17, p-value = 0.046), attitudes in oral health care (r_s = 0.22, p-value = 0.009), enabling factors (r_s = 0.26, p-value = 0.002) and reinforcing factors (r_s= 0.34, p-value < 0.001) were associated with oral health care behaviors of Grade 6 students in Nam Khun District, Ubon Ratchathani Province. Statistically significant at the 0.05 level.
Therefore, the research findings should be used as a guideline for planning dental health in schools. Activities should include promoting the consumption of nutritious food, establishing policies for school cafeteria vendors to refrain from selling snacks and sugary drinks, organizing regular brushing sessions after lunch, and coordinating with local dental health services to conduct oral health check-ups. This will help instill good dental habits in students sustainably.