Influence on Oral Health Behavior Oral Health Knowledge of and Attitude and Dental Education Experience of High School Students

고등학생의 구강건강 지식.태도 및 구강보건교육 여부가 구강건강행위에 미치는 영향

Purpose: This research targeted the high school students to analysis the behavior leading to oral health following the level of knowledge of and attitude towards oral health. Going steps further, this research examines the effect of the education on the oral cavity's health on the behavior leading to oral health to provide the need to conduct education on the oral cavity's health. Methods: High school students in the 1st to the 3rd grades in two high schools in Gyeongsangnamdo were targeted to conduct survey on 444 students. Collected data was subjected to the SPSS statistical program to obtain the frequency, percentage and average. Moreover, standard deviation, t-verification, one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis and logistics regression analysis were conducted. Results: First, average of the high school students' knowledge of and attitude towards oral cavity's health was higher when the education on the oral cavity's health was received compared to when education on the oral cavity's health was not received. Second, knowledge of and attitude towards oral cavity's health were high when there was the willingness to participate in the education on the oral health. In case education on the oral cavity's health was received, average of the knowledge of oral cavity's health was high, which manifested statistically significant difference. Average of the knowledge of oral cavity's health was high as well in case there is a perception that the need for the education on oral cavity exists. Third, the probability of having had their teeth scaled was higher when the total score for the knowledge of oral cavity's health was higher. The probability of having had their teeth scaled was higher when the score on the attitude for preventing periodontal disease was higher. Conculsion: These results demonstrate that the existence of high school students' education on the oral cavity's health, and knowledge of and attitude towards oral cavity's health exert significant influence on the behavior leading to oral cavity's health.