Oral health literacy and oral health behaviors of disadvantaged women residing in the slum area of Zahedan, Iran: A cross-sectional study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, North Kargar Ave, 1439955991, Tehran, Iran

2 Associated Professor, Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Research Center for Caries Prevention, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences

3 Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, North Kargar Ave, 1439955991, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Disadvantaged subjects are considered a high-risk group due to limited access, insufficient awareness regarding the importance of oral health, and lack of preventive behavior. This study explores oral health literacy (OHL), oral health behaviors (OHB), and factors associated with OHL among women living in Zahedan's slum areas in Iran.

Methods: In 2020, a cross-sectional study was carried out on 216 disadvantaged women in the slums of Zahedan City in Iran. The women's OHL and OHB data were collected using the Persian version of the previously validated Oral Health Literacy-Adult Questionnaire. Statistical analysis, including descriptive and analytical statistics, such as multi-variable linear regression analysis, was conducted using the STATA software version 14.2.

Results: All 216 female subjects residing in the slum areas of Zahedan City completed the questionnaire (response rate: 100%). The mean age of participants was 26.7(±5.03) years old. The respondents' mean score of OHL was 7.6 (±2.47) out of 17. 18.98% reported brushing their teeth twice or more daily, 83.3% used fluoride toothpaste, 37.96% had visited a dentist within the past year, 50.93% consumed sugary snacks less than twice per day, and 87.96% did not smoke. In the regression analysis, there was a significant positive relationship between OHL with age (P<0.001), occupation (P=0.03), and educational level (P<0.001).

Conclusion: The level of oral health literacy among women in the slum area was insufficient. The significant positive associations between OHL and factors such as age, occupation, and education level suggest that targeted educational interventions and community-based programs may be needed to improve oral health knowledge and behaviors in this population.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

1. Jeboda SO. Implications of low dental awareness in Nigeria.
Niger Dent J. 2008;16(1):43-6. doi: 10.4314/ndj.v16i1.42124.
2. Alure SB, Dodamani AS, Vishwakarna P, Jain VM, Mali GV,
Kulkarni GP. Oral hygiene behaviour and practices of urban
slum population: a cross-sectional study. Int J Community
Med Public Health. 2021;8(9):4423-31. doi: 10.18203/2394-
6040.ijcmph20213547.
3. Isman B. Healthy People 2010: Oral Health Toolkit. National
Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention; 2007.
4. Horowitz AM, Kleinman DV. Oral health literacy: the
new imperative to better oral health. Dent Clin North Am.
2008;52(2):333-44. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2007.12.001.
5. VanWormer JJ, Tambe SR, Acharya A. Oral health literacy
and outcomes in rural Wisconsin adults. J Rural Health.
2019;35(1):12-21. doi: 10.1111/jrh.12337.
6. Noor NM, Rani H, Zakaria AS, Yahya NA, Sockalingam SN.
Sociodemography, oral health status and behaviours related to
oral health literacy. Pesqui Bras Odontopediatria Clin Integr.
2019;19:e5109. doi: 10.4034/pboci.2019.191.120.
7. Ezeh A, Oyebode O, Satterthwaite D, Chen YF, Ndugwa
R, Sartori J, et al. The history, geography, and sociology of
slums and the health problems of people who live in slums.
Lancet. 2017;389(10068):547-58. doi: 10.1016/s0140-
6736(16)31650-6.
8. World Health Organization (WHO). Good Practices in Delivery
of Primary Health Care in Urban Settings. WHO; 2012.
9. Ali R, Ahmad R, Ul Haq HS, Khan RS, Hassan R, Siddiqui
AA. Knowledge and attitudes regarding oral hygiene among
urban slum dwellers in Pakistan. Int J Contemp Med Res.
2018;5(8):13-6. doi: 10.21276/ijcmr.2018.5.8.17.
10. Habib MF, Mahmood H, Khizar A, Idrees S, Pervaiz F, Khan
J. Oral health status and oral hygiene practices among urban
slum dwellers in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Pakistan: oral health
and hygiene practices among urban slum dwellers. Pak J
Health Sci. 2022;3(6):114-8. doi: 10.54393/pjhs.v3i06.306.
11. Osuh ME, Oke GA, Lilford RJ, Owoaje E, Harris B, Taiwo OJ,
et al. Prevalence and determinants of oral health conditions
and treatment needs among slum and non-slum urban
residents: evidence from Nigeria. PLOS Glob Public Health.
2022;2(4):e0000297. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000297.
12. Osuh ME, Oke GA, Lilford RJ, Osuh JI, Lawal FB, Gbadebo
SO, et al. Oral health in an urban slum, Nigeria: residents’
perceptions, practices and care-seeking experiences. BMC
Oral Health. 2023;23(1):657. doi: 10.1186/s12903-023-
03303-5.
13. Charan J, Biswas T. How to calculate sample size for different
study designs in medical research? Indian J Psychol Med.
2013;35(2):121-6. doi: 10.4103/0253-7176.116232.
14. Karimi Afshar M, Torabi M, Raeisi Afshar M, Deldar M. Oral
health literacy and oral health behavior in pregnant women
referring to health centers in south of Kerman province. Iran
J Obstet Gynecol Infertil. 2020;23(3):39-49. doi: 10.22038/
ijogi.2020.15996.
15. Naghibi Sistani MM, Montazeri A, Yazdani R, Murtomaa
H. New oral health literacy instrument for public health:
development and pilot testing. J Investig Clin Dent.
2014;5(4):313-21. doi: 10.1111/jicd.12042.
16. Bado FM, De Checchi MH, Cortellazzi KL, Ju X, Jamieson L,
Mialhe FL. Oral health literacy, self-rated oral health, and oral
health-related quality of life in Brazilian adults. Eur J Oral Sci.
2020;128(3):218-25. doi: 10.1111/eos.12695.
17. Amirchaghmaghi M, Movahhed T, Mosannen Mozaffari P,
Torkaman F, Ghazi A. Health literacy and its determinants in
adult patients referred to dental clinics: a cross-sectional study
in Mashhad, Iran. Shiraz E Med J. 2019;20(9):e86582. doi:
10.5812/semj.86582.
18. Fazli M, Yazdani R, Mohebbi SZ, Shamshiri AR. Oral
health literacy and socio-demographics as determinants
of oral health status and preventive behavior measures in
participants of a pre-marriage counseling program. PLoS One.
2021;16(11):e0258810. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258810.
19. Piyakhunakorn P, Sermsuti-anuwat N. The associations
between oral health literacy and oral health-related behaviours
among community-dwelling older people in Thailand. Glob J
Health Sci. 2021;13(3):1-7. doi: 10.5539/gjhs.v13n3p1.
20. Donyavi T, Holakouie Naieni K, Nedjat S, Vahdaninia M,
Najafi M, Montazeri A. Socioeconomic status and mortality
after acute myocardial infarction: a study from Iran. Int J Equity
Health. 2011;10:9. doi: 10.1186/1475-9276-10-9.
21. Naghibi Sistani MM, Yazdani R, Virtanen J, Pakdaman
A, Murtomaa H. Determinants of oral health: does oral
health literacy matter? ISRN Dent. 2013;2013:249591. doi:
10.1155/2013/249591.
22. Saied-Moallemi Z, Haghighi M. Assessing oral health literacy
among the residents of Isfahan in 2014‒2015. J Isfahan Dent
Sch. 2016;12(3):268-79. [Persian].
23. Malek Mohammadi T, Malekmohammadi M, Hajizamani HR,
Ayobi Mahani S. Oral health literacy and its determinants
among adults in Southeast Iran. Eur J Dent. 2018;12(3):439-
42. doi: 10.4103/ejd.ejd_429_17.
24. Navabi N, Shahravan A, Behnood R, Hashemipour MA.
Is there a correlation between oral health-related quality of
life and oral health literacy? J Oral Health Oral Epidemiol.
2020;9(4):180-6. doi: 10.22122/johoe.v9i4.1068.
25. Karimi Moughari Z, Barati J. Determining the level of regional
inequality in provinces of Iran: analysis of multidimensional
composite index. Economic Growth and Development
Research. 2017;7(26):49-70. [Persian].
26. Batista MJ, Lawrence HP, da Luz Rosário de Sousa M. Oral
health literacy and oral health outcomes in an adult population
in Brazil. BMC Public Health. 2017;18(1):60. doi: 10.1186/
s12889-017-4443-0.
27. Vilella KD, Alves SG, de Souza JF, Fraiz FC, da Silva Assunção
LR. The association of oral health literacy and oral health
knowledge with social determinants in pregnant Brazilian
women. J Community Health. 2016;41(5):1027-32. doi:
10.1007/s10900-016-0186-6.
28. Patel AB, Shah RR, Ramanuj VB. Comparative study of oral
hygienic practices and oral health status among people residing
in urban and urban slum of Ahmedabad municipal corporation. 
Int J Community Med Public Health. 2017;4(6):2181-5. doi:
10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20172199.
29. Khoshnevisan MH, Ghasemianpour M, Samadzadeh H,
Baez R. Oral health status and healthcare system in IR Iran. J
Contemp Med Sci. 2018;4(3):107-8.
30. Naghibi Sistani MM, Yazdani R, Virtanen J, Pakdaman A,
Murtomaa H. Oral health literacy and information sources
among adults in Tehran, Iran. Community Dent Health.
2013;30(3):178-82. doi: 10.1922/CDH_3159Yazdani05.
31. Atchison KA, Gironda MW, Messadi D, Der-Martirosian C.
Screening for oral health literacy in an urban dental clinic. J
Public Health Dent. 2010;70(4):269-75. doi: 10.1111/j.1752-
7325.2010.00181.x.
32. Sheikhi S, Shekarchizadeh H, Saied-Moallemi Z. The
relationship between mothers’ oral health literacy and their
children’s oral health status. J Dent Med. 2018;31(3):175-84.
[Persian].
33. Prakash D, Murthy AK, Paul A, Eremba K, Gupta G, Alex
P. Oral health literacy among caregivers in Bangalore city,
India. Int Healthc Res J. 2019;3(3):116-22. doi: 10.26440/
ihrj/0303.06243.
34. Barati M, Bashirian S, Barati M, Khazaei S, Jenabi E, Gholami
L, et al. The relationship between oral health literacy and
dental caries experience among pregnant women in Arak, Iran
in 2021. J Oral Health Oral Epidemiol. 2023;12(3):123-9. doi:
10.34172/johoe.2023.21.
Journal of Oral Health and Oral Epidemiology
Volume 13, Issue 3
October 2024
Pages 127-132

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 10 December 2023
  • Revise Date: 29 August 2024
  • Accept Date: 16 September 2024

Share

How to cite

Statistics