Study on the development of Japanese oral health literacy index

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24593142
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: UENO Masayuki 東京医科歯科大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 准教授 (70401388)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KAWAGUCHI Yoko 東京医科歯科大学, 医歯(薬)学総合研究科, 教授 (20126220) ; FURUKAWA Sayaka 東京医科歯科大学, 歯学部, 非常勤講師 (50527322) ; TAKEHARA Sachiko 東京医科歯科大学, 国際交流センター, 特任助教 (60622438) ; OHNUKI Mari 東京医科歯科大学, 歯学部, 非常勤講師 (40611520)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ヘルスリテラシー / 口腔保健状況 / 保健行動 / 機能歯ユニット

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We developed a Japanese oral health literacy index and investigateｄ how oral health literacy was relateｄ to oral health behaviors and clinical oral health status.
A self-administered questionnaire and dental examination collected information from 1,025 adult residents of Akita prefecture, including oral health literacy items (20 dental terms and 8 dental knowledge sentences). The total score for the oral health literacy was a simple sum of responses, ranging from 0 to 28. For statistical analysis, the oral health literacy score was categorized into tertile levels of the total score: low (0-12), medium (13-18), and high (19-28).
The higher a subject’s oral health literacy level, the more often they had regular dental check-ups and the better their oral hygiene status. Furthermore, subjects with higher oral health literacy level had higher numbers of natural teeth and FTUs. Oral health literacy was associated with differences in oral health behaviors and clinical oral health status.

Free Research Field

予防歯科