Promoting Oral Health Behaviors of Adolescent Girls Using a Health Belief Model

Background: With a focus on people’s beliefs, a health belief model (HBM) attempts to define and promote the health performances of different population groups. The current study aimed to determine the effect of education, based on the HBM, on promoting the oral health behaviors of adolescent girls in Shahrekord. Methods: This interventional study was conducted on female students in junior high schools in Shahrekord during the educational year 2018-2019. Using the cluster sampling method, a total of 80 adolescent girls were selected from public schools in Shahrekord and randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The required data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire before, immediately after, and two months after the intervention. In addition, a standard checklist was employed to evaluate the station of oral health. The training was provided to the members of the experimental group in seven sessions, each lasting 50-60 minutes. Using SPSS 21, the data were analyzed via paired t test, independent t test, and repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: After the intervention, the mean scores of perceived sensitivity, perceived severity, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, and perceived self-efficacy in the experimental group increased significantly (f=61.12, P<0.001). Moreover, the mean scores of oral health behaviors in the experimental group significantly increased two months after training (P<0.001). Conclusion: Training based on the HBM had an important role in creating a favorable attitude and thus practicing oral health behaviors in students.