The Role of Peer Influence on Oral Health Knowledge and Behaviors among Adolescents

Authors

Maryam Sadeghipour Roudsari, Dental Research Center, Research Institute of Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Community Oral Health Department, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences(SBMU)., Tehran, IR-IranFollow
Seyed Peyman Shariatpanahi, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of TehranFollow
Mahshid Namdari, Community Oral Health Department, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences(SBMU)., Tehran, IR-IranFollow
Mohammad Hossein Khoshnevisan, 4Preventive Dentistry Research Center, Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences(SBMU., Tehran, IR-IranFollow
Mahsa Malek-Mohammadi, Student Research Committee, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences(SBMU), Tehran, IR-IranFollow
Mohammad Hadi Foroughmand, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, IranFollow

Abstract

Although many researchers, in different social sciences fields, are being attracted to the new potential promotional phenomenon, the influence of peer connections, the literature in dental public health is very poor. Objective: This article investigates the role of peer influence on individuals’ oral health knowledge and behavior among adolescents. Methods: The purpose of the study was to explore the correlation between secondary school students’ oral health u and knowledge within friendship groups. A valid and reliable questionnaire was developed. A total of 421 students (228 boys and 193 girls) aged between 12-13 years old participated in the study. Ordinal regression analysis was used to identify the correlation between an individual’s oral health knowledge and his/her friends. Results: The results demonstrated a strong relationship between students’ oral health behaviors and their peer connections within their friendship groups at school. Specifically, the tooth brushing frequency of a student had a strong correlation with the similar behavior of his/her friends. Also, investigation of the role of the second level connections (friends of one’s friend with no direct connection) showed a significant correlation in brushing behavior. However, the results revealed no strong correlation of oral health knowledge among friends within their social network. Conclusion: This paper highlighted the importance of the role of peer influence on oral health behavior. Understanding the relationship between oral health behavior and social network would help policymakers for more cost-effective oral health promotion programs among adolescents.

References

1. Buunk-Werkhoven YA, Dijkstra A, van der Schans CP. Oral health-quality of life predictors depend on population. Applied Research in Quality of Life. 2009;4(3):283.

2. Johnson NW, Glick M, Mbuguye T. (A2) Oral health and general health. Advances in dental research. 2006;19(1):118-21.

3. Kandelman D, Petersen PE, Ueda H. Oral health, general health, and quality of life in older people. Special care in dentistry. 2008;28(6):224-36.

4. Sheiham A. Oral health, general health and quality of life. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2005;83(9):644-.

5. Hobdell M, Oliveira E, Bautista R, Myburgh N, Lalloo R, Narendran S, et al. Oral diseases and socio-economic status (SES). British dental journal. 2003;194(2):91-6.

6. Werner H, Hakeberg M, Dahlström L, Eriksson M, Sjögren P, Strandell A, et al. Psychological interventions for poor oral health: a systematic review. Journal of dental research. 2016;95(5):506-14.

7. Al-Omiri MK, Al-Wahadni AM, Saeed KN. Oral health attitudes, knowledge, and behavior among school children in North Jordan. Journal of dental education. 2006;70(2):179-87.

8. Bast L, Nordahl H, Christensen L, Holstein B. Tooth brushing among 11-to 15-year-olds in Denmark: combined effect of social class and migration status. Community dental health. 2015;32(1):51-5.

9. Kanagarajah AK, Lindsay P, Miller A, Parker D. An exploration into the uses of agent-based modeling to improve quality of healthcare. Unifying Themes in Complex Systems: Springer; 2010. p. 471-8.

10. El-Sayed AM, Scarborough P, Seemann L, Galea S. Social network analysis and agent-based modeling in social epidemiology. Epidemiologic Perspectives & Innovations. 2012;9(1):1.

11. García EL, Banegas J, Perez-Regadera AG, Cabrera RH, Rodriguez-Artalejo F. Social network and health-related quality of life in older adults: a population-based study in Spain. Quality of Life Research. 2005;14(2):511-20.

12. Smith KP, Christakis NA. Social networks and health. Annu Rev Sociol. 2008;34:405-29.

13. Pinquart M, Sörensen S. Influences of socioeconomic status, social network, and competence on subjective well-being in later life: a meta-analysis. Psychology and aging. 2000;15(2):187.

14. Berkman LF, Syme SL. Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents. American journal of Epidemiology. 1979;109(2):186-204.

15. Orth-Gomer K, Johnson JV. Social network interaction and mortality: a six year follow-up study of a random sample of the Swedish population. Journal of chronic diseases. 1987;40(10):949-57.

16. Greenblatt M, Becerra RM, Serafetinides E. Social networks and mental health: An overview. The American journal of psychiatry. 1982.

17. Strawbridge WJ, Shema SJ, Cohen RD, Kaplan GA. Religious attendance increases survival by improving and maintaining good health behaviors, mental health, and social relationships. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2001;23(1):68-74.

18. Umberson D, Montez JK. Social relationships and health a flashpoint for health policy. Journal of health and social behavior. 2010;51(1 suppl):S54-S66.

19. Petersen PE. The World Oral Health Report 2003: continuous improvement of oral health in the 21st century–the approach of the WHO Global Oral Health Programme. Community Dentistry and oral epidemiology. 2003;31(s1):3-24.

20. Eggert LL, Thompson EA, Herting JR, Nicholas LJ, Dicker BG. Preventing adolescent drug abuse and high school dropout through an intensive school-based social network development program. American Journal of Health Promotion. 1994;8(3):202-15.

21. Ennett ST, Bauman KE. Peer group structure and adolescent cigarette smoking: A social network analysis. Journal of health and social behavior. 1993:226-36.

22. Valkenburg PM, Peter J, Schouten AP. Friend networking sites and their relationship to adolescents' well-being and social self-esteem. CyberPsychology & Behavior. 2006;9(5):584-90.

23. Voorhees CC, Murray D, Welk G, Birnbaum A, Ribisl KM, Johnson CC, et al. The role of peer social network factors and physical activity in adolescent girls. American Journal of Health Behavior. 2005;29(2):183-90.

24. Khoshnevisan MH, Shariatpanahi SP, Sadeghipour-Roudsari M, Namdari M, Niknejad F, Malek-Mohammadi M. Influence of maternal oral healthcare behavior during childhood on children’s oral health care during adolescence. Journal of Oral Health and Oral Epidemiology. 2020;9(1):45-53.

25. Langlie JK. Social networks, health beliefs, and preventive health behavior. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 1977:244-60.

26. Ronis DL, Lang WP, Farghaly MM, Passow E. Tooth Brushing, Flossing, and Preventive Dental Visits by Detroit‐area Residents in Relation to Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors. Journal of public health dentistry. 1993;53(3):138-45.

27. Buunk-Werkhoven YA, Reyerse E. Teenagers’ Oral Health and Oral Self-Care in Curaçao.

28. Rad M, Shahravan A, Haghdoost AA. Oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice in 12-year-old schoolchildren in Iran. Journal of International Society of Preventive & Community Dentistry. 2015;5(5):419.

29. Ravaghi V, Underwood M, Marinho V, Eldridge S. Socioeconomic status and self‐reported oral health in Iranian adolescents: the role of selected oral health behaviors and psychological factors. Journal of public health dentistry. 2012;72(3):198-207.

30. Koerber A, Graumlich S, Punwani I, Berbaum M, Burns J, Levy S, et al. Covariates of tooth-brushing frequency in low-income African Americans from grades 5 to 8. Pediatric dentistry. 2006;28(6):524.

31. Buunk-Werkhoven YA, Reyerse E. What is the Impact of Oral (Public) Health Promotion, and of interventions for Oral (Self) Care Awareness Raising and Behavior Change? Journal of Dentistry, Oral Disorders & Therapy. 2020;8:1-4.

32. Mirza BAQ, IZHAR ASF, KHAN AA. Oral health attitudes, knowledge, and behavior amongst high and low socioeconomic school going children in Lahore, Pakistan. Pakistan Oral & Dental Journal. 2011;31(2).

33. Buunk‐Werkhoven YA, Dijkstra A, van der Schans CP. Determinants of oral hygiene behavior: a study based on the theory of planned behavior. Community dentistry and oral epidemiology. 2011;39(3):250-9.

Recommended Citation

Sadeghipour Roudsari, M., Shariatpanahi, S., Namdari, M., Khoshnevisan, M., Malek-Mohammadi, M., & Foroughmand, M. The Role of Peer Influence on Oral Health Knowledge and Behaviors among Adolescents. J Dent Indones. 2021;28(1): 38-44