A study on oral health knowledge and the need for oral health education among industrial workers / 대한구강보건학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between oral health behaviors of workers by examining the oral health awareness and the need for oral health education. METHODS: After the institutional review board approval, we surveyed industrial workers in Seoul, Gwangju, Changwon, and Goksung, in Korea, from July 19 to August 29, 2016. The final questionnaires (287 in total) were assessed using the SPSS 24.0 software for Windows (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL, USA). The data were analyzed using frequency analysis, average, standard deviation, t-test, and the Pearson's correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Through the response of “yes” for the question, “oral health education experience,” we can see the respondents have high level of interest (P<0.001). And through the response of “yes” for the question, “Periodic oral Examination” and “regular scaling” and “oral care product use” we can see the respondents have high level of interest (P<0.001) and high importance (P<0.001), there was a statistically significant difference. On analyzing the correlations between workers, there was positive correlation oral health ‘Interest’ and ‘Importance’ (r=0.598, P<0.001). Of the 287 participants, 80.1% indicated that they did not receive any previous oral health education, while 85.4% indicated a willingness to attend oral health education programs in the future. Of the 80.1% of participants with no prior oral health education, 60.0% indicated lack of oral health education because of few opportunities to participate in such programs. They most prefer “Oral Hygiene Management” 64.8% for education contents and choose “Direct-education by inviting Expert” as the best education method 75.6%. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to develop oral health education programs suitable for the industrial field characteristics for people in workplace, and to enhance and expand oral health education services in the workplace in order to maintain interest in oral health.