Oral Health Educational Methods in Adolescence
Condition: Adolescent Behavior
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Adolescence is a phase of important redefinitions and become an important period in the
      construction of new habits. Therefore, oral health education becomes strongly necessary,
      since good habits acquired at this stage may be perpetuated for adult life. The aim of this
      study is to evaluate the influence of an educational protocol on oral health in oral
      knowledge and clinical conditions in adolescence. A longitudinal study is being conducted
      with an initial sample of 291 adolescents enrolled in a public school in the city of
      Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. The educational protocol was built in four phases. In phase I, the
      participants answered a questionnaire (pre-test) that included five statements about
      periodontal diseases and their forms of prevention. The answers were arranged in a Likert
      scale with a score of 1 (one) for the correct responses and 0 (zero) for the incorrect ones,
      obtaining, therefore, the knowledge score (KC). At this stage, adolescents is also being
      clinically assessed using simplified oral hygiene index (IHO-S) for dental plaque evaluation
      and gingival bleeding (ISG). In phase II, the sample (n = 291) is being randomly divided into
      two groups that receive two different educational interventions: oral orientation (OR) and
      video (VD). After each intervention, the questionnaire (post-test) is being reapplied. In the
      next phase (III), the study population (n = 291) is being again divided into four groups, and
      for two of them (OR + APP / VD + APP) a smartphone app was developed to messages which are
      being sending over a period of 30 days. In phase IV, the participants (n = 263) are answering
      again to the questionnaire (follow-up test) and are being reassessed clinically.
      Non-parametric tests and univariate and multivariate Poisson regression with robust variance
      will be used for statistical analysis (α = 0.05).
    

Detailed description: 
      A longitudinal study has been conducting with an initial sample of 291 adolescents enrolled
      in high school at a public school in the city of Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. The educational
      protocol is characterized by four phases. In the first stage (Phase I), the participants are
      answering a questionnaire (pre-test) in order to verify the level of previous knowledge of
      the sample regarding periodontal diseases and their forms of prevention and are being
      clinically examined. In phase II the adolescents are randomly divided into two groups, which
      receive different educational methods: oral orientation (OR) and the application of a video
      (VD). After the educational interventions, the participants answer the questionnaire
      (post-test). In phase III, the two groups are being divided into four subgroups: oral
      orientation with App (OR+App), oral orientation without App (OR without App), video with App
      (VD+App) and video without App (VD without App). OR+App and VD+App received a mobile phone
      application specially developed for this study containing educational messages which are
      being during a period of 30 days. In the fourth phase (IV) the participants answer the
      questionnaire again (follow-up test) and are reassessed clinically.
    

Intervention name(s): Oral orientation and App for smartphone; Oral orientation; Video orientation and App for smartphone; Video orientation
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): 66 adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years. Participants enrolled in this group received standardized oral guidance performed by one of the previously trained researchers and included aspects of general and oral health and, in particular, of periodontal diseases. This intervention was carried out in a classroom, in a group with approximately 20 participants, providing an environment of discussions about the subjects covered. The duration was approximately 15 minutes. The participants also received an App for smartphone containing messages of reinforcement in oral health which was sent during a period of 30 days.; 71 adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years. Participants enrolled in this group received standardized oral guidance performed by one of the previously trained researchers and included aspects of general and oral health and, in particular, of periodontal diseases. This intervention was carried out in a classroom, in a group with approximately 20 participants, providing an environment of discussions about the subjects covered. The duration was approximately 15 minutes.; 63 adolescentes aged between 14 and 19 years. Participants enrolled in this group received oral health information through an audiovisual material produced especially to this research to offer a teaching medium capable of arousing the attention of its audience. The elaboration counted with the participation of three actors, two acting as adolescents and the third as a dental surgeon. The video had a total duration of 14 minutes. The participants also received an App for smartphone containing messages of reinforcement in oral health which was sent during a period of 30 days.; 63 adolescentes aged between 14 and 19 years. Participants enrolled in this group received oral health information through an audiovisual material produced especially to this research to offer a teaching medium capable of arousing the attention of its audience. The elaboration counted with the participation of three actors, two acting as adolescents and the third as a dental surgeon. The video had a total duration of 14 minutes.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: oral health; knowledge; adolescent