[Stages of inter-dental cleaning behavior change and its relationship with the processes of change among pre-university students in Yazd]

ABSTRACT

Teeth and mouth diseases encompass about 5-10% of the total health care costs. Transtheoretical Model [TTM] explains when individuals will adopt changes in their behaviors, how they change their behaviors, and which factors affect the changes in their behaviors. Processes of change is an important component of the model which include covert and overt activities that people use to progress through the stages. The purpose of this study was to determine the stages of change of inter-dental cleaning behavior and its relationship with the process of changes based on TTM in Yazd, Iran. This analytical cross-sectional study was performed on 361 students from 8 pre-university schools who were selected via cluster sampling. Appropriate standard instrument were used to measure the stages of inter-dental cleaning behavior, and the process of change questionnaire was developed by the researchers. The reliability and validity of questionnaires were examined and approved using expert panel and cronbach's coefficient. Data were analyzed with SPSS software and using ANOVA and Binary Logistic Regression tests. 49% of students were in pre-contemplation stage, 5.3% in contemplation, 24.1% in preparation, 6.8% in action and 12.5% were in maintenance stage. The subjects earned 73.98% scores of cognitive processes of change, 63.59% scores of behavioral processes of change and 59.77% of scores of total processes of change. According to binary logistic regression analysis, In order to transfer from pre-action stages to action stages, the students used consciousness raising [Odd Ratio=1.061] and Self-liberation [Odd Ratio=1.155], and social liberation [Odd Ratio=1.204]. Majority of students was in pre-contemplation stage and most of them used cognitive processes of change to move from primary to final stages. So, interventional strategies which include programs with the aim of increasing cognitive process of change may be useful for transferring the students from primary stages of inter-dental cleaning behaviors to final stages