title: Promoting better oral health practices among aboriginal Taiwanese adolescents: a school based oral health education intervention program.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of an educational program aimed at improving oral health knowledge and behaviors in junior high school students in indigenous communities in Taiwan. Two junior high schools were randomly selected. Students in the intervention school received an oral health education program. Both groups received structured questionnaires to assess their oral health practices and risk behaviors at baseline and after the intervention. The intervention group had statistically significant positive changes in their oral health knowledge (p<.001), an increase in tooth-brushing frequency (p<.001), and a decrease in tobacco use (p=.01). Most (87%) students considered the educational program excellent or good. Carefully designed health education programs delivered within schools in areas with limited access to health care can improve the students' knowledge and reduce their risk behaviors which may prove to be a mechanism that ultimately reduces health disparities.
authors.affiliation: Deptartment of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Hsin
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rouh-Lan
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Sue
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Warnakulasuriya
authors.forename: Ananda P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Dasanayake
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health; D044382:Population Groups / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012572:School Health Services; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data