Effect of Education Based on Trans-Theoretical Model in Social Media on Students with Gingivitis; a Randomized Controlled Trial

Aims: Social media has increasingly been used as a tool to deliver health education. This study examined the effect of a Telegram delivered oral health education program on self-efficacy, perceived benefits and barriers, gingival index, motivational beliefs, and dental cleaning behavior among students with gingivitis. Materials & Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in Sanandaj city, Iran, from January to December ۲۰۱۹. A total of ۱۶۰ students were recruited from ۸ schools and randomized into intervention and control groups. An oral health education program aimed at increasing dental cleaning behavior was developed based on the trans-theoretical model. The program consisted of ۹ sessions delivered via a social media app called Telegram for ۲۴ weeks. Outcomes included dental cleaning behavior, perceived self-efficacy, benefits, barriers, motivational beliefs, and gingival index, measured at baseline and ۲۴ weeks after the intervention. Findings: There were significant differences between the intervention and the control groups in the mean scores of perceived self-efficacy (p=۰.۰۱), perceived benefits (p=۰.۰۱), motivational beliefs (p=۰.۰۱), and gingival index (p=۰.۰۱) after the intervention. Further, ۷۱.۳% (n=۵۷) of students in the intervention group (versus ۱۰.۱% (n=۱۰) in the control group) performed the dental cleaning behavior after intervention (p<۰.۰۱). Conclusion: The findings showed that an oral health education program delivered via social media apps could improve students' oral health. Social media apps could reach a broad range of users, thus could improve access to oral health education programs.

Keywords:

Oral Health , Education , Social Media , Students , Gingivitis , Behavior