Volume 28, Issue 150, August 2024

Evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practices of oral health and hygiene among the future health care providers

Sara Shahid^1,2, Aqsa Malik³, Eman Javed³, Maryam Ayesha³, Muhammad Fahad³, Maryam Mughal³, Areej Qamar³, Mahdeem Qamar⁴, Amna Bajwa², Rabeel Khan¹, Muhammad Zahid Iqbal^1♦

¹Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lahore University of Biological & Applied Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
²Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
³Research Student, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lahore University of Biological & Applied Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
⁴Research Student, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Punjab University College of Pharmacy, Lahore, Pakistan

^♦Corresponding Author
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lahore University of Biological & Applied Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Background: Oral health is crucial for overall well-being, as it helps prevent dental diseases and reduces the risk of conditions like cavities, gum disease, and infections that can lead to more serious health issues. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of Oral Health among the future health care providers from different medical institutes from Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional, multi-centered observational study was performed at multiple medical institutes. A structured, self-made questionnaire was designed to have knowledge, attitude, and practice-related questions. The study sample included 140 undergraduate students from the medical, dentistry, physiotherapy, and pharmacy departments. Data was collected from the respondents after getting informed consent. The study period of the research project was 12 weeks. The collected data was analyzed through SPSS, utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics to summarize the results. Results: The study involved 140 future healthcare providers from various universities in Lahore, Pakistan. The majority of participants were female (67.9%) and under 30 years old, primarily in their pre-final and final years of medical, dental, physiotherapy, and pharmacy programs. Conclusion: According to the study's findings, dental students possess the maximum basic knowledge, attitude, and oral health practices when compared to the students in medical, pharmacy, and physiotherapy departments. Students studying physiotherapy and pharmacy also adopt improved oral hygiene practices. On the other hand, medical and pharmacy students exhibit positive attitudes.

Keywords: Oral Hygiene; Cross-sectional; Health care provider; Oral Health; Knowledge; Practices; Dental Health; Hygiene; Undergraduate students.

Medical Science, 2024, 28, e109ms3424

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v28i150.e109ms3424

Published: 21 August 2024