An Investigation Of Parents' Knowledge-attitude-practice(KAP) Of Early Prevention And Treatment From Malocclusion

Objective:In our study,we investigated Parents' knowledge,attitude and practice(KAP)about early prevention and treatment of malocclusion and analyzed the influencing factors.The study aimed to further provide theoretical basis for early prevention and treatment of health education and guide people to participate in early prevention and treatment.Methods:The convenient sampling method was used and 520 parents of children admitted in two general hospitals were selected as research objects in Jinan.With a large number of relevant literatures and the guidance of orthodontics,pediatric dentists and statisticians,the questionnaire of knowledge,belief and behavior about malocclusion early prevention was made according to the principle and method of questionnaire design.The contents include general information,early prevention knowledge,early prevention belief and early prevention behavior.The questionnaire should be answered by parents themselves and questions would be solved by the investigator.Statistical data was analyzed by the Statistical Package for Social Science(SPSS)19.0,and the strategies included descriptive statistics,rank sum test and multiple stepwise regression analysis.Results:l.The average score of parents' knowledge about early preventive and treatment of malocclusion was(14.68± 8.21),accounting for 39.68%of the foll score;the average score of parents' belief was(29.97±6.45),accounting for 62.44%of the full score;the average score of parents' behavior was(32.16± 7.04),accounting for 57.43%of the full score.2.Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between knowledge and belief(r=0.171,P<0.05),between knowledge and behavior(r=0.309,P<0.05),between belief and behavior(r=0.129,P<0.05).3.Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that there was significant difference in the score of knowledge about the early prevention and treatment from malocclusion among parents with different type of account and different educational level.There was significant difference in the score of belief of the early prevention and treatment of malocclusion among parents with different type of account and frequency of education.There was significant difference in the score of practice on the early prevention and treatment of malocclusion among parents with different income level and father or mother.Conclusions:1.Parents had inadequate knowledge about early prevention and treatment of malocclusion with poor attitude and behavior.Health education measures should be developed according to the weak part of KAP to improve parents' KAP level of early prevention and treatment of malocclusion.2.Positive correlations are presented in each two of the following factors:knowledge,attitude and practice.3.The KAP level of parents' early prevention and treatment of malocclusion is affected by the following factors:knowledge score affected by account type and education level;belief score affected by account type and frequency of health education;practice score affected by the relationship with the child and the level of family income.4.The early prevention and treatment education of rural groups,low education groups,low income groups and other groups should be strengthened.