Most grade and middle schools implement health education curricula that include an oral health component. These health classes provide an important opportunity for children from at-risk families to learn about health-promoting behaviors, including toothbrushing. Unfortunately, these educational opportunities often do not result in behavior change. A large study of 1116 inner-city and suburban African-American adolescents was done as part of a comprehensive school-based, risk-reduction study. The health education group (n=355) received an enhanced health education curriculum, University-designed, which included an oral health education unit. The group showed no increase in self-report of toothbrushing behavior over the next three years compared to the other groups. The effects of self-esteem, locus of control, and parental attitudes on toothbrushing will be presented. This will indicate whether parental involvement is needed to affect toothbrushing behavior, or if modification of school curricula might improve behavior change. Funded by an oral health minigrant from CDC through the University of Alabama at Birmingham, NICHD with funds from the Office for Research on Minority Health, Grant #U1HD30078, and NIDA, Grant #R01DA11019.
Learning Objectives: After reading this poster, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the outcomes of a health education class on the toothbrushing of African American middle school children. 2. Describe what factors affect toothbrushing frequency on African American school children. 3. Describe what changes can be made in curricula that might affect toothbrushing behavior.
Keywords: Oral Health Outcomes, School-Based Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.