2012 Volume 62 Issue 5 Pages 462-472
“Behavioral objectives” have been adopted in the “Oral Health Examination, Assessment, and Health Instruction Program for Adults”, as an approach to increase self-efficacy. In our previous study, we reported changes in oral health behaviors during this program. The present study analyzed the status of behavioral objective setting and goal achievement, based on descriptive epidemiology.
Subjects were 245 people, with a mean age of 40.4 years old (standard deviation: 11.0), who underwent examinations, as part of the program, at institutions in four prefectures (Tokyo, Aichi, Miyagi, and Kochi), which store a sufficient amount of data. A total of 485 behavioral objectives were set: one to three items per person. Based on their similarities, the 485 objectives were classified into nine categories: “tooth brushing and its methods”, “the use of auxiliary tools”, “dental plaque cleaning”, “meals/eating”, “physical health/exercise”, “smoking cessation”, “others”, and “not categorized”. Each of the nine categories was classified into one to nine sub-categories. The goal achievement rate for each category was calculated based on the examinees’ self-assessment.
“The use of auxiliary tools” was set as a behavioral objective by the largest number of examinees (58%), and the achievement rate was also the highest (62%). While 32% of examinees set “dental consultation” as an objective, the achievement rate was relatively low (29%). On comparison of the achievement rate, there were significant differences in the total rate and that for “the use of auxiliary tools”, “tooth brushing and its methods”, and “dental consultation” between the four institutions. Examinees’ age composition and the health guidance method were characteristic in each institution. It was suggested that behavioral objectives set by examinees and the achievement rates were related to their characteristics, guidance methods, and procedures.
