2024 Volume 18 Issue 2 Pages 38-52
In a previous study, we reported on the development and evaluation of an effective questionnaire for dental health guidance in areas with high dental caries prevalence by utilizing a preliminary questionnaire targeted at infants and their guardians. Therefore, we conducted a questionnaire targeting guardians of children attending nursery schools and kindergartens in areas with high rates of dental caries and attempted to identify issues in dental health guidance based on community diagnosis.
From May to June 2019, a questionnaire was conducted targeting the guardians of 545 children attending nursery schools and kindergartens in Hachinohe City and Sannohe Town, Aomori Prefecture. Questions included items about dental health that guardians wanted to know related to health behavior based on the results of previous research, dental health status, lifestyle habits and dental health behavior. In addition, questions from the Japan Dental Association that conform to the PRECEDE-PROCEED model were selected and modified for infants and young children. Item response theory was used to assess the characteristics of each item, and path analysis was used to assess construct validity. The results showed that children brushed their teeth in many households, but no relationship was found between health behaviors and health conditions. Path analysis showed that the fit of the model was low, and no significant relationship was found between health education, reinforcement factors, and preparation factors in the PRECEDE-PROCEED model.
Although the results showed that there is a high need to obtain knowledge about caries prevention in areas with high caries prevalence, the necessary information is not being communicated to guardians, so there is a need for improvements in the method of information dissemination on a regional basis.
