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Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours of Arab Dental Students: Multi-National Cross-Sectional Study and Literature Analysis 2000–2020

Author

Listed:
  • Abanoub Riad

    (Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic)

  • Nuraldeen Maher Al-Khanati

    (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Syrian Private University, Damascus 368, Syria
    Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Damascus University, Damascus 222, Syria)

  • Julien Issa

    (Faculty of Dentistry, Beirut Arab University, Tarik El Jadida, Beirut 11-50-20, Lebanon
    Department of Biomaterials and Experimental Dentistry, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland)

  • Mazen Zenati

    (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Syrian Private University, Damascus 368, Syria)

  • Nèziha Ben Abdesslem

    (Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Monastir, Monastir 5019, Tunisia)

  • Sameh Attia

    (Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Justus-Liebig-University, Klinikstrasse 33, 35392 Giessen, Germany)

  • Martin Krsek

    (Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic)

Abstract

Dental students are the future leaders of oral health in their respective communities; therefore, their oral health-related attitudes and behaviours are of practical value for primary disease prevention. The present study aimed to evaluate oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours of dental students in Arab countries and explore the potential sociodemographic predictors of their oral health outcomes. A multi-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted during the academic year 2019/2020 in three Arab countries: Lebanon, Syria, and Tunisia. The study used a validated Arabic version of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) composed of original twenty items that assess the level of oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, and four additional dichotomous items related to tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, problematic internet use, and regular dental check-up The HU-DBI score ranges between 0 and 12. A total of 1430 students took part in this study, out of which 60.8% were females, 57.8% were enrolled in clinical years, 24.5% were tobacco smokers, 7.2% were alcohol drinkers, and 87% reported internet addiction. The mean HU-DBI score was 6.31 ± 1.84, with Lebanon having the highest score (6.67 ± 1.83), followed by Syria (6.38 ± 1.83) and Tunisia (6.05 ± 1.83). Clinical students (6.78 ± 1.70) had higher HU-DBI scores than their preclinical peers (5.97 ± 1.86). The year-over-year analysis revealed that dental public health and preventive dentistry courses had significantly and positively impacted the undergraduate students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. The gender-based differences were not statistically significant, with a modest trend favouring males, especially oral health behaviours. Tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and problematic internet use were associated with lower HU-DBI scores. In the Arab world, the economic rank of the country where the dental students live/study was weakly correlated with the students’ mean HU-DBI score.

Suggested Citation

  • Abanoub Riad & Nuraldeen Maher Al-Khanati & Julien Issa & Mazen Zenati & Nèziha Ben Abdesslem & Sameh Attia & Martin Krsek, 2022. "Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours of Arab Dental Students: Multi-National Cross-Sectional Study and Literature Analysis 2000–2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-21, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:3:p:1658-:d:739885
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Esam Halboub & Sadeq Al-Maweri & Aisha Al-Jamaei & Mohammed Al-wesabi & Anas Shamala & Ahlam Al-kamel & Amani Alsharani & Nassar Eissa, 2016. "Self-Reported Oral Health Attitudes and Behavior of Dental and Medical students, Yemen," Global Journal of Health Science, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(10), pages 143-143, October.
    2. Kyung-Yi Do & Kang-Sook Lee, 2018. "Relationship between Problematic Internet Use, Sleep Problems, and Oral Health in Korean Adolescents: A National Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Mohamed Mekhemar & Jonas Conrad & Sameh Attia & Christof Dörfer, 2020. "Oral Health Attitudes among Preclinical and Clinical Dental Students in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-11, June.
    4. Mays, G.P. & McHugh, M.C. & Shim, K. & Perry, N. & Lenaway, D. & Halverson, P.K. & Moonesinghe, R., 2006. "Institutional and economic determinants of public health system performance," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 96(3), pages 523-531.
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    Cited by:

    1. Abanoub Riad & Ave Põld & Jana Olak & Hans-Peter Howaldt & Miloslav Klugar & Martin Krsek & Sameh Attia, 2022. "Estonian Dental Students’ Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours (KAB): National Survey-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Huay Woon You, 2022. "Modelling Analysis on Dietary Patterns and Oral Health Status among Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-9, November.
    3. Diana Aranza & Alessandro Nota & Tea Galić & Slavica Kozina & Simona Tecco & Tina Poklepović Peričić & Boris Milavić, 2022. "Development and Initial Validation of the Oral Health Activities Questionnaire," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Abanoub Riad & Veronika Chuchmová & Ján Staněk & Barbora Hocková & Sameh Attia & Martin Krsek & Miloslav Klugar, 2022. "Czech and Slovak Dental Students’ Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviours (KAB): Multi-Country Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-31, February.

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