FACTORS RELATED TO ORAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE AMONG ADOLESCENT IN JEMBER, INDONESIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to analyze the factors related to oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice among adolescents in Jember, Indonesia. Material and Methods: The population of this study was junior secondary school students in Jember, Indonesia. Sampling was generated using cluster random sampling with a total of 398 students from eight different schools. A questionnaire on oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices was given to the students. Data on the family's socioeconomic characteristics were collected from the school database of parents. The correlation of socioeconomic status (gender, school, mother and father education, father and mother occupation, monthly income, number of children) and oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice were first analyzed statistically using the univariate Spearman test (p<0.05). Significant correlation variables from univariate analysis were then entered into a multi-regression model to find the strongest predictor of oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice (p<0.05). Results: The age of adolescents in this study was 12-16. Multi regression analysis showed a significant relation between gender, ethnicity, school, and oral health knowledge. Females were more likely to have higher knowledge than males (p=0.003). Students from public schools were more likely to have a higher knowledge than students from private schools (p=0.000). Javanese adolescents have significantly higher knowledge than Maduranese (p=0.028) or other ethics (p=0.022). Mother education and gender were significantly associated with the attitude. Adolescents with higher mother education were more likely to have higher attitude scores (p=0.000). Females were significantly related to higher attitude scores (p=0.016). Conclusions: This study highlights the need for an oral health promotion program among adolescents in Jember, Indonesia, that addresses socioeconomic backgrounds, predominantly male, students from private schools and uneducated mothers.