Oral and general health behaviours among Chinese urban adolescents

TY - JOUR

T1 - Oral and general health behaviours among Chinese urban adolescents

AU - Petersen, Poul Erik

AU - Jiang, Han

AU - Peng, Bin

AU - Tai, Bao Jun

AU - Bian, Zhuan

PY - 2008/2

Y1 - 2008/2

N2 - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to measure the association of general and oral health-related behaviours with living conditions and to explore the interrelationships between general and oral health-related behaviours in Chinese urban adolescents.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 2662 adolescents was conducted in eight Chinese provincial capitals. The response rate was 92%. The study population was selected through multistage cluster sampling and comprised three age groups: 11, 13 and 15 years. Data on oral and general health, lifestyles as well as living conditions were collected by means of self-administered structured questionnaires. Several additive indices were constructed from answers to the questions on specific behaviour, and participants were categorized according to scores on each component of health-related behaviour for statistical analyses by frequency distributions, regression analyses and factor analyses.RESULTS: Oral health-related behaviours among adolescents were associated with socioeconomic status of parents, school performance and peer relationships. The odds of a dental visit was 0.63 in adolescents of poorly educated parents and the corresponding figure for regular oral hygiene practices was 0.62. Odds of tobacco use was 3 for adolescents with poor performance in school while odds of consuming sugary foods/drinks was 1.3. Adolescents with high levels of preventive oral health practices also demonstrated general health-promoting behaviours. In factor analysis of general and oral health-related behaviours, three factors were isolated: (a) risk behaviours (loadings 0.48-0.66), (b) health-promoting behaviours (loadings 0.60-0.64) and (c) help-seeking behaviours (loadings 0.56-0.67).CONCLUSION: The findings support a multidimensional model of health behaviour. Several approaches and multiple methods should be applied in oral health education in order to modify behaviours that affect oral health.

AB - OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to measure the association of general and oral health-related behaviours with living conditions and to explore the interrelationships between general and oral health-related behaviours in Chinese urban adolescents.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 2662 adolescents was conducted in eight Chinese provincial capitals. The response rate was 92%. The study population was selected through multistage cluster sampling and comprised three age groups: 11, 13 and 15 years. Data on oral and general health, lifestyles as well as living conditions were collected by means of self-administered structured questionnaires. Several additive indices were constructed from answers to the questions on specific behaviour, and participants were categorized according to scores on each component of health-related behaviour for statistical analyses by frequency distributions, regression analyses and factor analyses.RESULTS: Oral health-related behaviours among adolescents were associated with socioeconomic status of parents, school performance and peer relationships. The odds of a dental visit was 0.63 in adolescents of poorly educated parents and the corresponding figure for regular oral hygiene practices was 0.62. Odds of tobacco use was 3 for adolescents with poor performance in school while odds of consuming sugary foods/drinks was 1.3. Adolescents with high levels of preventive oral health practices also demonstrated general health-promoting behaviours. In factor analysis of general and oral health-related behaviours, three factors were isolated: (a) risk behaviours (loadings 0.48-0.66), (b) health-promoting behaviours (loadings 0.60-0.64) and (c) help-seeking behaviours (loadings 0.56-0.67).CONCLUSION: The findings support a multidimensional model of health behaviour. Several approaches and multiple methods should be applied in oral health education in order to modify behaviours that affect oral health.

KW - Achievement

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adolescent Behavior

KW - Child

KW - China

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Factor Analysis, Statistical

KW - Health Behavior

KW - Humans

KW - Life Style

KW - Logistic Models

KW - Multivariate Analysis

KW - Oral Health

KW - Peer Group

KW - Principal Component Analysis

KW - Questionnaires

KW - Risk-Taking

KW - Social Class

KW - Urban Population

U2 - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2007.00375.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.2007.00375.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18205643

SN - 1600-0528

VL - 36

SP - 76

EP - 84

JO - Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology Online

JF - Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology Online

IS - 1

ER -