Abstract
Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of oral health behavior factors to oral health promotion behavior in dental hygiene students and nonhealth-related majors, to identify factors affecting their oral health promotion behavior and ultimately to provide information on the oral health promotion of college students and behavioral factors related to that. Methods : The subjects in this study were three-year-course dental hygiene students and two-year-course nonhealth-related majors in G college located in the city of Gwangju. A self-administered survey was conducted for 11 days from September 9 to 19, 2009, and the answer sheets from 473 respondents were analyzed. To look for connections between their major and the characteristics of their oral health promotion behavior, t-test was utilized, and t-test and one-way ANOVA were carried out to find out the relationship oral health promotion behavior by general characteristics. Besides, multiple regression analysis was employed to grasp factors affecting oral health promotion behavior. Results : Among the subfactors of oral health promotion behavior, the dental hygiene students statistically significantly outdid the nonhealth-related majors in thorough post-meal toothbrushing(p<0.01), toothbrushing method(p<0.001), use of fluorine-containing dentifrice(p<0.001) and good nutrition(p<0.05). But the latter statistically significantly outperformed the former in use of fluorine-containing rinse(p<0.001) and limited sugar intake(0<0.05). Regarding variables affecting oral health promotion behavior, the age group, whether to get a dental checkup over the last year and whether to use oral hygiene supplies were identified as the variables to impact on oral health promotion behavior. Specifically, the age group(dental hygiene students) and the get a dental checkup over the last year(nonhealth-related majors) had a greater impact. Conclusions : To promote the oral health of college students, comprehensive oral health education should be provided, which covers the importance of dental checkup, recommendation for the use of oral hygiene supplies, etc. Specifically, oral health education should be offered as one of general education courses in order for nonhealth-related majors to get into sound life habits and improve their oral health promotion behavior. To make it happen, required institutional measures should be taken.