EHBM-Based Intervention on Collegians' Adherence to Oral Health Behaviors (EHBM- CAOHB)

The intersection of oral health and health beliefs represents a critical area in understanding why people adopt or neglect dental care behaviors. The Health Belief Model (HBM) has emerged as a foundational framework for explaining and promoting oral health behaviors, with significant research demonstrating its effectiveness in dental health education.

The Health Belief Model (HBM) effectively predicts and promotes oral health behaviors by targeting individuals' perceptions of disease risks and preventive actions. Research consistently links HBM constructs to improved brushing, flossing, and dental visits, aligning with your prior work on perceived severity, behavioral intention, and oral health.

Education using HBM significantly boosts all perceptions and behaviors: in one quasi-experimental study on 12-year-old girls, post-intervention daily flossing rose from 11% to 87%, correct brushing from 8% to 77%, and Oral Hygiene Index improved (mean 0.72 vs. 1.33 in controls). Another cross-sectional analysis of 748 university students found perceived benefits (e.g., fear of disease risk without check-ups) and floss/interdental brush use strongly predicted willingness for regular dental check-ups (OR 1.683 and 1.616).

Research has demonstrated that the HBM is highly applicable to understanding and promoting oral health behaviors. Studies show that educational interventions based on the HBM can significantly improve:

• Tooth brushing frequency and technique: Participants who received HBM-based education showed increased correct brushing behaviors, with 76.9% brushing correctly compared to 0% in control groups.
• Dental floss usage: Daily flossing increased dramatically from 10.9% to 87.2% in intervention groups, with 75.5% using correct flossing techniques.
• Regular dental check-ups: Willingness to undergo regular dental examinations improved significantly, with 96.6% visiting a dentist within 4-6 months after HBM-based education.
• Oral hygiene status: The Oral Hygiene Index improved from fair to good in 95.7% of participants receiving HBM-based interventions.

Recent research demonstrates that HBM-based interventions are especially effective for middle-aged and elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes, improving oral health knowledge, beliefs, and hygiene behaviors-particularly tooth brushing and flossing.

For University Students, Studies show that university students often have lower rates of regular dental check-ups (12.3-30.2%) than the general population, making them an important target for HBM-based interventions focused on building long-term preventive habits.

Inclusion criteria

The study included

• Male and female students aged 18-25 years.
• Enrolled as undergraduate students.
• Willing to participate and provide informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

Students were excluded if they were

• Students with orthodontic appliances or removable prostheses.
• Recent comprehensive dental treatment.
• Female students which are pregnant or lactating.
• Recent contribution in another oral-health behavioral trial or structured oral-health program.