Vargas-Santivañez Stephani, Ladera-Castañeda Marysela, Briceño-Vergel Gissela, Yarasca-Berrocal Enrique, Hernández-Vergara Cinthia, Huamani-Echaccaya Jose, Cayo-Rojas César
School of Stomatology, Universidad Privada San Juan Bautista, Lima and Ica, Peru.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Mar 17;25(1):1030. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22099-3.
Legal guardians frequently serve as role models for their children. The habits they instill in their children may prove effective strategies for establishing healthy oral hygiene behaviors. The present study examined the factors associated with the level of oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among legal guardians of preschool children in the Peruvian capital. Furthermore, the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and practices in oral health was assessed.
This cross-sectional, analytical study evaluated 560 legal guardians of preschool children from 30 private educational institutions between July and December 2022. A validated 20-question questionnaire was employed to assess legal guardians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral health. Pearson's chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were utilized for bivariate analysis. For multivariate analysis, a Poisson regression model with robust variance was applied using the adjusted prevalence ratio (APR). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
A total of 82.3%, 76.2%, and 78.4% of legal guardians showed insufficient knowledge, unfavorable attitudes, and incorrect practices in oral health, respectively. The results indicated that legal guardians with high school and non-university higher education were 5.62 and 4.17 times, respectively, more likely to have insufficient oral health knowledge than those with university higher education. The same legal guardians were 6.18 and 5.02 times more likely to have an unfavorable attitude towards oral health than those with a university education (APR = 6.18, 95% CI 2.88-13.26 and APR = 5.02, 95% CI 2.32-10.90, respectively). Furthermore, these legal guardians were 4.35 and 3.08 times more likely to have incorrect oral health practices compared to those with university education (APR = 4.35; 95% CI: 2.39-7.90, and APR = 3.08; 95% CI: 1.66-5.69, respectively). On the other hand, legal guardians with a monthly family income of less than 270 USD were 14% and 15% less likely to have unfavorable attitudes and incorrect practices, respectively, compared to those with an income of 270 USD or more (APR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.78-0.95, and APR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.77-0.93, respectively). Finally, there was a moderate direct correlation between knowledge and attitudes (Rho = 0.56, 95% CI 0.51-0.62), knowledge and practices (Rho = 0.59, 95% CI 0.53-0.65), and attitudes and practices (Rho = 0.43, 95% CI 0.36-0.50).
The majority of legal guardians had insufficient knowledge, unfavorable attitudes, and incorrect practices in oral health. High school and non-university higher education were risk factors for poor knowledge, unfavorable attitudes, and incorrect practices. Having a monthly family income of less than 270 USD was a protective factor for unfavorable attitudes and incorrect practices. Finally, a moderate direct correlation was identified between legal guardians' oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices.
法定监护人经常是其子女的行为榜样。他们向子女灌输的习惯可能是建立健康口腔卫生行为的有效策略。本研究调查了秘鲁首都学龄前儿童法定监护人的口腔健康知识、态度和行为水平的相关因素。此外，还评估了口腔健康知识、态度和行为之间的相关性。
这项横断面分析研究在2022年7月至12月期间对来自30所私立教育机构的560名学龄前儿童的法定监护人进行了评估。采用一份经过验证的包含20个问题的问卷来评估法定监护人关于口腔健康的知识、态度和行为。使用Pearson卡方检验和Fisher精确检验进行双变量分析。对于多变量分析，应用具有稳健方差的泊松回归模型，使用调整患病率比（APR）。设定统计学显著性为p < 0.05。
分别有82.3%、76.2%和78.4%的法定监护人在口腔健康方面知识不足、态度不佳和行为不正确。结果表明，拥有高中和非大学高等教育学历的法定监护人口腔健康知识不足的可能性分别是拥有大学高等教育学历者的5.62倍和4.17倍。同样，这些法定监护人对口腔健康持不良态度的可能性分别是拥有大学学历者的6.18倍和5.02倍（APR分别为6.18，95%置信区间2.88 - 13.26和APR为5.02，95%置信区间2.32 - 10.90）。此外，与拥有大学学历者相比，这些法定监护人有不正确口腔健康行为的可能性分别是其4.35倍和3.08倍（APR分别为4.35；95%置信区间：2.39 - 7.90，以及APR为3.08；95%置信区间：1.66 - 5.69）。另一方面，家庭月收入低于270美元的法定监护人对口腔健康持不良态度和有不正确行为的可能性分别比收入在270美元或以上者低14%和15%（APR分别为0.86；95%置信区间：0.78 - 0.95，以及APR为0.85；95%置信区间：0.77 - 0.93）。最后，知识与态度之间存在中等程度的直接相关性（Rho = 0.56，95%置信区间0.51 - 0.62），知识与行为之间（Rho = 0.59，95%置信区间0.53 - 0.65），以及态度与行为之间（Rho = 0.43，95%置信区间0.36 - 0.50）。
大多数法定监护人在口腔健康方面知识不足、态度不佳且行为不正确。高中和非大学高等教育学历是知识不足、态度不佳和行为不正确的风险因素。家庭月收入低于270美元是不良态度和不正确行为的保护因素。最后，在法定监护人的口腔健康知识、态度和行为之间发现了中等程度的直接相关性。
