Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year
: 2015  |  Volume : 13  |  Issue : 3  |  Page : 328--330

Assessment of oral health literacy among patients attending Malabar dental college and research centre in Kerala: A cross sectional survey


Mary Shimi S Gomez1, BK Sujatha2 
1 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Government Dental College, Kottayam, Kerala, India
2 Department of Public Health Dentistry, Vydehi Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Correspondence Address:
B K Sujatha
Department of Public Health Dentistry, Vydehi Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, No. 82, EPIP Area, ITPL, Whitefield, Bengaluru, Karnataka
India

Introduction: Oral health literacy is relatively a new, but critical concept to decrease disparities and increase oral health for all. Low oral health literacy contributes to oral disease which results in increased cost for vulnerable population such as poor, those with low levels of education, minorities, and the elderly. Aim: To assess oral health literacy among patients attending Malabar dental college and research centre in Kerala. Materials and Methods: Health literacy in dentistry scale questionnaire with 29 items was administered by the investigator to collect data related to oral health literacy among 272 patients attending Malabar Dental College and Research Centre. The collected data were compiled and statistically analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: The oral health literacy was assessed based on the interquartile range, of 272 patients, 23.9% of patients had poor oral health literacy, 57% were found to have moderate oral health literacy, and 19.1% patients were found to have good oral health literacy. The results were significant at P < 0.001. Conclusion: Oral health literacy was found to be moderate among patients attending Malabar Dental College and Research Centre.


How to cite this article:
Gomez MS, Sujatha B K. Assessment of oral health literacy among patients attending Malabar dental college and research centre in Kerala: A cross sectional survey.J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent 2015;13:328-330


How to cite this URL:
Gomez MS, Sujatha B K. Assessment of oral health literacy among patients attending Malabar dental college and research centre in Kerala: A cross sectional survey. J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent [serial online] 2015 [cited 2024 Mar 29 ];13:328-330
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/aphd/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2015;volume=13;issue=3;spage=328;epage=330;aulast=Gomez;type=0