Division of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America.
Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2022 Aug 18;17(8):e0273328. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273328. eCollection 2022.
The primary aim of the study was to determine levels of literacy in both oral health and orthodontics in an adult population. The secondary study aim was to investigate differences in literacy between males and females.
Participants included individuals 18 years or older seeking dental treatment at the East Carolina University (ECU) School of Dental Medicine. To determine levels of oral health literacy (OHL) and orthodontic literacy (OrthoL), validated instruments were administered, including the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine and Dentistry, the Oral Health Literacy Instrument and its separate scales, and a questionnaire on orthodontic literacy. Summary statistics were computed, and statistical significance was set at 0.05.
One hundred seventy-two individuals participated in the study and had a mean age of 55.03 (range:18-88). Greater than 70% of the sampled population exhibited inadequate or marginal oral health knowledge. Additionally, greater than 70% of the sample possessed no more than an 8th grade reading level, with regard to basic medical and dental terms. Higher education was weakly associated with higher OrthoL and OHL. Higher age was also weakly associated with lower OrthoL and OHL. Males on average exhibited significantly higher OHL (p < .05) but there were no OrthoL differences between males and females. Dental visit frequency was not associated with OrthoL or OHL.
Low levels of OrthoL and OHL were observed in the study. While males demonstrated a higher level of OHL than females, neither age nor the occurrence of dental appointments significantly influenced levels of literacy.
本研究的主要目的是确定成年人群的口腔健康和正畸知识的读写水平。次要研究目的是调查男性和女性之间的读写差异。
参与者包括在东卡罗莱纳大学（ECU）牙医学院寻求牙科治疗的 18 岁及以上的个人。为了确定口腔健康读写能力（OHL）和正畸读写能力（OrthoL）的水平，使用了经过验证的工具，包括医学和牙科学快速估计成人读写能力、口腔健康读写能力工具及其单独的量表，以及关于正畸读写能力的问卷。计算了汇总统计数据，统计显著性设置为 0.05。
172 人参与了这项研究，平均年龄为 55.03 岁（范围：18-88 岁）。超过 70%的抽样人群表现出口腔健康知识不足或边缘知识。此外，超过 70%的样本在基本医学和牙科术语方面的阅读水平不超过 8 年级。更高的教育程度与更高的 OrthoL 和 OHL 呈弱相关。较高的年龄也与较低的 OrthoL 和 OHL 呈弱相关。男性的 OHL 平均显著更高（p <.05），但男性和女性之间的 OrthoL 没有差异。就诊频率与 OrthoL 或 OHL 无关。
在本研究中观察到低水平的 OrthoL 和 OHL。虽然男性的 OHL 水平高于女性，但年龄和牙科预约的发生都没有显著影响读写水平。
