The Factors to Affect the Oral Health Promotion Behavior of Elementary School Students

초등학생의 구강건강증진행위에 영향을 미치는 요인

This study set out to identify the factors to affect the oral health promotion behavior of elementary school students and to provide a framework to develop educational programs to promote their oral health promotion behavior. A survey was conducted to 729 fifth and sixth graders attending four elementary schools in Seoul. The variables were measured with a five-point Likert scale and include previous oral health related behaviors, perceived oral health status, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and oral health promotion behavior. First, the subjects scored relatively high 3.51 points out of 5 in oral health promotion behavior. They also scored 3.88 points in perceived benefit, 3.51 in selfesteem, 3.43 in self-efficacy, 3.28 in perceived oral health status, 2.77 in previous oral health related behaviors, and 1.79 in perceived barriers. Second, a significant difference was observed according to gender in previous oral health related behaviors and oral health promotion behavior. And a significant difference was also found according to grade in previous oral health related behaviors, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, selfesteem, self-efficacy, and oral health promotion behavior. Third, when they had an experience of visiting a dental clinic for preventive purposes, a significant difference was found according to the purposes of going to a dentist in previous oral health related behaviors, perceived benefit, and oral health promotion behavior. And fourth, multiple regression analysis was carried out with oral health promotion behavior as a dependent variable. As a result, all the research variables, which include previous oral health related behaviors, perceived oral health status, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, self-esteem, and self-efficacy, turned out to have significant influences on oral health promotion behavior. And their explanatory power was 49%. Conclusion: Those factors that were identified to affect the oral health promotion behavior of programs to promote their oral health.