Background: This study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of medical nurses regarding oral health and oral health care of pregnant women. Methods: This cross sectional study of 133 nurses in the district of Tumpat, Kelantan (Malaysia) used self-administered questionnaires. Results: Most nurses knew that dental plaque is associated with periodontal disease (97.7%). However, most nurses erroneously believed that tooth decay (86.5%) and excessive sugar consumption (87.2%) led to periodontal disease. About half of the nurses knew about the relationship between periodontal disease of pregnant women and low birth weight (43.6%) and preterm birth (48.9%). Many nurses had the misconception that the developing foetus draws calcium from the mothers’ teeth (78.2%). Most nurses had good attitudes toward improving their oral health knowledge (97.0%) and agreed they should help to deliver oral health education to pregnant women (94.0%). Age, length of service as a nurse, and length of service in antenatal care had no effect on the scores for the nurses’ knowledge and attitude regarding oral health and oral health care of pregnant women. Conclusion: Medical nurses had limited knowledge about oral health of pregnant women and had some misunderstandings about oral health, although they had good attitudes. Age, length of service as a nurse, and length service in antenatal care had no effect on the knowledge and attitude scores of the nurses.
Oral Health, Pregnant Women

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine differences in awareness and practice of oral health care in pregnant women with and without oral health care education experience. METHODS: Participants in the survey for this study were 221 pregnant women in female exclusive hospitals located in B city and G city. Data were collected from October to December, 2014 using self-report structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS/Win 21.0 program. RESULTS: The number of pregnant women experienced in oral health education was 36.2%. The oral health care awareness of pregnant women experienced in oral health education total score was 15.14±1.96, and inexperienced pregnant women total score was 14.14±2.63 (t=3.26, p=.001). The oral health care practice of pregnant women experienced in oral health education total score was 12.90±2.48, and inexperienced pregnant women total score was 10.95±4.06 (t=3.89, p<.001). The relationship between the awareness and practice of oral health care was positively correlated. CONCLUSION: Based on this study outcomes, considering the importance for oral health education in the antenatal care program when the pregnant women visiting the hospital for medical check-up.
Education* ; Female ; Humans ; Oral Health* ; Pregnant Women*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify relationships of periodontal disease and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in pregnant women. METHODS: The participants in this study were 129 pregnant women. Data were collected using questionnaires of characteristics of the participants and subjective perception of periodontal disease and a dentist's assessment of periodontal disease. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression. RESULTS: The physical QoL showed significant negative correlation with subjective perception of periodontal disease (r=-.21, p=.013). Mental QoL had significant negative correlations with subjective perception of periodontal disease (r=-.32, p<.001) and objective periodontal disease (r=-.34, p<.001). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that pregnant women who had a history of abortion and had higher subjective perception of periodontal disease tended to report lower levels of physical QoL. Pregnant women whose age are between 30-34 years and higher subjective perception and objective periodontal disease tended to report lower mental QoL. CONCLUSION: To improve HRQoL of pregnant women, nurses should pay attention on the status of periodontal disease. Careful assessment of oral healthy behaviors and proper intervention for oral health of pregnant women are needed to enhance HRQoL of pregnant women.
Female ; Humans ; Oral Health ; Periodontal Diseases* ; Pregnant Women* ; Quality of Life*

PURPOSE: This paper examined the relationship between knowledge differences of maternal oral health and of relevant demographic variables. METHODS: Participants included 239 pregnant women who were recruited from Women's Hospital located in B city who agreed to participate in this study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis using the SPSS 21.0 program. RESULTS: Maternal knowledge of oral health was moderate level (10.22±2.36). Scores of maternal knowledge of oral health were different according to age, education, occupation, parity, and dental care experience in pregnancy. Level of oral healthcare knowledge was weakly related to age and education. CONCLUSION: Consequently, it is necessary to encourage pregnant women to take part in oral health education program during antenatal care.
Delivery of Health Care ; Dental Care ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Occupations ; Oral Health* ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women*

PURPOSE: To compare the effects of the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (IMCHB)-based oral health program (OHP) and walking exercise program (WEP) on oral health behaviors, periodontal disease, physical activity, and psychological indicators (depression, stress, and quality of life) in pregnant women. METHODS: A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was adopted to compare the effects of a 12-week OHP and WEP on pregnant women (n=65). Pregnant women were randomly assigned to the oral health group (OHG; n=23), walking exercise group (WEG; n=21), or control group (CG; n=21). Data were analyzed by the χ2-test, Fisher's exact test, Scheffe test, and repeated measures ANOVA, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows (version 21.0). RESULTS: The OHG and WEG showed significant improvements in oral health behaviors, periodontal disease, and psychological indicators as compared to the CG. The WEG showed significant improvement in physical activity as compared to the OHG and CG. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that the IMCHB-based OHP and WEP were effective in improving periodontal disease, physical activity, and psychological indicators. However, further studies are needed to identify the positive effects of the OHP and WEP on birth outcomes.
Female ; Health Behavior ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Oral Health* ; Parturition ; Periodontal Diseases ; Pregnant Women* ; Social Sciences ; Walking*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the influences of oral health behaviors, depression, and stress on periodontal disease in pregnant women. METHODS: The participants in this study were 129 pregnant women. Data were collected using questionnaires which included individual characteristics, oral health care behaviors, the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), a global measure of perceived stress, and pregnancy stress. A dentist measured periodontal probing depth and classified stages of periodontal disease according to the Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. RESULTS: Periodontal disease had significant correlations with oral health care behaviors (r=-.56, p <.001), perceived stress (r=.44 p <.001), pregnancy stress (r=.37 p <.001), diet (r=-.33, p <.001) and depression (r=.18 p =.046). Factors influencing periodontal disease for these pregnant women were being in the 2nd (β=.27, p <.001) or 3rd trimester (β=.45, p <.001), having a pregnancy induced disease (β=.20, p =.002), performing higher oral health behaviors (β=-.30, p <.001), and having higher perceived stress (β=.17, p =.028). The explanation power of this regression model was 61.6% (F=15.52, p <.001). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicated that periodic assessment of periodontal disease is essential for pregnant women who are in 2nd or 3rd trimester and have pregnancy induced diseases. Enhancing oral health care behaviors and reducing perceived stress are indicated as effective strategies to reduce periodontal disease in pregnant women.
Dentists ; Depression* ; Diet ; Female ; Humans ; Oral Health* ; Periodontal Diseases* ; Periodontal Index ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Stress, Psychological

This study examined 191 pregnant women before delivery in an obstetrics and gynecology clinic in North Gyeongsang Province from May to September 2016 by using a questionnaire after obtaining informed consent for voluntary participation in the study. The study was performed to investigate the association of depression with sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy-related characteristics, social support, sleep quality and Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) in pregnant women. The prevalence of depression among the pregnant women was 25.1% in the healthy group and 74.9% in the depression group. The depression level was significantly higher in women in the depression group who were unsatisfied with their marriage life, had no occupation, had lower social support, had poor sleep quality and had higher OHIP scores. The results of the logistic regression analysis indicated that, the risk ratio for more severe depression was significantly higher in the group with no experience of miscarriage and induced childbirth than in the group with childbirth experience. Conversely, the risk ratio for more severe depression was significantly lower in the group with high social support than in the group with low social support. Depression in the respondents significantly positively correlated with sleep quality and OHIP score but significantly negatively correlated with social support. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the depression level was significantly higher by 22.3% among pregnant women with lower marital satisfaction, no childbirth experience, lower social support and higher OHIP scores. In summary, depression was related to marital satisfaction, childbirth experience, social support, and OHIP score, among others, in pregnant women in this study. Therefore, further investigation is warranted to construct programs and measures that will help build positive thinking by designing and verifying a three-dimensional study model by taking into consideration various variables to reduce the incidence of depression in pregnant women.
Abortion, Spontaneous ; Depression* ; Female ; Gynecology ; Humans ; Incidence ; Informed Consent ; Logistic Models ; Marriage ; Obstetrics ; Occupations ; Odds Ratio ; Oral Health* ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women* ; Prevalence ; Sociological Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thinking

The organized community is the one of the best system for the effective public health administration, and a model area was selected for the study to see what should be achieved when a certain small community is placed under the special public health control based on the family unit. The 178 families involved total of 875 populations. The rate of vaccination with B.C.G. among 191 infants and children could be increased upto 100.0% from 72.5% of the time whin the basic study was performed after 8 months period of this study; 99.0% from 47.1% with D.P.T.; 96.9% from 71.7% against smallpox; 83.2% from 69.1% against poliomyelitis; but only 25.7% from 21.5% against measles. The status of family planning was 36.8% among 155 women of possible conception at the time of the basic research. And, at the end of this study, the number of women utilizing one of the methods of contraception for family planning were increased upto 52.9% among the same number. The most frequently utilized method was 34.1% of oral pills followed by 30.5% of intrauterine device; but both of which had higher rate of interruption of use because of the complications, 14.3% and 16.0% respectively. The 10 pregnant women at the time of basic research experienced normal deliveries during the period of study and they had received pre- and postnatal health care through this health center. The status of oral hygiene, pulmonary tuberculosis control, and parasitological examination were also reported as wee as the cases with diseases seen among the population and vaccinations performed against other infectious diseases. The stress on discussion was placed upon the effectiveness of public health administration when it is undergone ton the individual family unit to achieve the best result. However, the shortness of both personnel and material resources were considered to be the one of the major difficulties retarding the generalization of the idea obtained through this study based on family unit public health administration.
Child ; Communicable Diseases ; Contraception ; Delivery of Health Care ; Family Planning Services ; Female ; Fertilization ; Generalization (Psychology) ; Humans ; Infant ; Intrauterine Devices ; Measles ; Oral Hygiene ; Poliomyelitis ; Pregnant Women ; Public Health Administration ; Public Health* ; Smallpox ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; Vaccination