Oral Health Educational Methods in Adolescence

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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
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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.

Official Title
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Educational Methods in Oral Health for Adolescents: Influence on Knowledge and Oral Clinical Conditions

Conditions
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Adolescent Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Oral orientation and App for smartphone
* Behavioral: Oral orientation
* Behavioral: Video orientation and App for smartphone
* Behavioral: Video orientation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Adolescents of both sexes Regularly enrolled in the high school of a public institution Exclusion Criteria: Participants with physical or mental condition Absence of signing consent form Adolescents with fixed orthodontic apparatus

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 14 Years
Maximum Age: 19 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Oral orientation and App for smartphone<br>The oral health educational method of this group comprised a total of 66 adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years who 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. The participants of this group also received an App for smartphone containing messages of reinforcement in oral health which was sent during a period of 30 days. | Behavioral: Oral orientation and App for smartphone<br>* 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.<br>|
| Experimental: Oral orientation<br>The oral health educational method of this group comprised a total of 71 adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years who 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. | Behavioral: Oral orientation<br>* 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.<br>|
| Experimental: Video orientation and App for smartphone<br>The oral health educational method of this group comprised a total of 63 adolescentes aged between 14 and 19 years who 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 participants of this group also received an App for smartphone containing messages of reinforcement in oral health which was sent during a period of 30 days. | Behavioral: Video orientation and App for smartphone<br>* 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.<br>|
| Experimental: Video orientation<br>The oral health educational method of this group comprised a total of 63 adolescentes aged between 14 and 19 years who 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. | Behavioral: Video orientation<br>* 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.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Knowledge Score | The knowledge score varied from 13 (five) to 0 (zero). Higher scores means better outcomes. | 30 days | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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oral health, knowledge, adolescent