A study on some college student's awareness of oral health and relevant influential factors

일부 대학생들의 구강건강인식과 그 영향요인 분석

The purpose of this study was to provide information about the development of curricula geared toward improving the oral health of college students and of oral-health education programs in an effort to teach college students to be knowledgeable about oral health throughout their lives. The subjects in this study were 455 students at three different colleges in Gyeonggi province, on whom a survey was conducted. As for the basic oral health care of the college students investigated, 54.5 percent had ever visited a dental clinic over the last year, and 34.7 percent had their teeth scaled over the last year. Regarding self-awareness of current oral health state, 77 percent felt there s something wrong with their oral health. Concerning the correlation of their oral health behavior and knowledge to each selected variable, better internal and external locus of control led to better oral health promotion behaviors and better oral health knowledge. As to their self-perception of oral health and influential factors, better toothbrushing, better dietary habits and periodical oral examination, which belonged to oral health promotion behaviors, were followed by better oral health locus of control, and higher concern for oral health led to better oral health locus of control as well. Better toothbrushing, better dietary habits, periodical oral examination and better internal locus of control were concurrent with higher interest in oral health. Better external locus of control and stronger concern for oral health were accompanied by better oral health promotion behaviors.