Perceived information needs in respect of orthodontics amongst 11-12-year-old girls: a study through health visitor sessions in schools.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were: to explore: (i) the knowledge and views regarding orthodontics of a group of 11-12-year-old girls attending a school in Southeast London and (ii) the terms that they used to obtain the information.


METHODS
The study used Dental Health Education sessions to investigate the aims of the study. Eight DHE sessions at a secondary school for girls were tape recorded. In order to raise the issue of orthodontics and trigger the formation of questions during health education session, a worksheet containing true/false questions, a crossword puzzle regarding orthodontics and some open ended questions was designed and sent to students. They were required to read and complete the worksheet before each session. They were not required to return the completed worksheets to the investigators but did return them to their teachers. The sessions were tape recorded and supplemented by notes taken at the sessions by the investigator. A total of eight DHE sessions, attended by 14 girls each, were tape-recorded. Each tape recording was immediately transcribed verbatim. The next stage was to organize the data and to single out the orthodontic questions and discussions and categorize them.


RESULTS
A total of 117 girls aged 11-12-year-old comprised the study group: 77% were white and 23% black children. After reading the transcripts several times, certain themes on orthodontics emerged. The results showed that children questioned different aspects of orthodontics. Nine themes emerged from their questions and discussions. They wanted to know why orthodontic treatment was carried out and when was the right time to start treatment. They were very keen to find out the differences between different orthodontic appliances. The psychosocial impacts of wearing an orthodontic appliance, i.e., experience of pain as well as the need for extraction of some permanent teeth as part of the treatment were of concern. They asked some questions on the need for repair, adjustment and taking care of appliances. The aetiology of malocclusion was another theme that emerged. The students tended to ask questions and describe problems in their own lay terms.


CONCLUSIONS
The methodology used in this study provided an opportunity to assess the information needs with regards to orthodontics of a group of children attending a school in Southwark, London, UK. It was successful in discovering the views and concerns, and to some extent, their knowledge regarding orthodontics and the terms pupils used in asking questions and making comments.
Habibian
M
M
Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Epidemiology, School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angles 90089, USA. habibian@usc.edu
Gelbier
S
S
Munday
B A
BA
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002663:Child Language; D003149:Community Dentistry; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008310:Malocclusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D009967:Orthodontic Appliances; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000523:psychology; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D012571:School Dentistry; D013997:Time Factors; D014081:Tooth Extraction