Oral Health Knowledge and Practices and Its Association with the Demographic Characteristics among Longhouse Community in Julau, Sarawak

• Main Authors: Law, Leh Shii, Jeffery, Stephen, Cheah, Whye Lian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: UNIMAS Publisher, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak 2020
• Subjects: R Medicine (General)
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/32762/1/CHEAH%20WHYE%20LIAN.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/32762/; http://publisher.unimas.my/ojs/index.php/TUR/article/view/2249
• Institution: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak

Oral health gained attention worldwide as it exerted unfavourable and undesired influences on an individual’sdailylivesandwellbeing, especially among the rural population. In order to increase the understanding on the oral health among the rural community, this study aimed to determine the oral health knowledge and practice and its association with sociodemographic characteristics among the longhouse residents in Julau, Sarawak. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 105 residents were recruited from five longhouses, namely Rumah Panjang Mengga, Rumah Panjang Ikeh, Rumah Panjang Michael, Rumah Panjang Budit,and Rumah Panjang Manju. Information related to sociodemographic characteristics, as well as oral health knowledge and practice was gathered through face-to-face interviewby using a structured questionnaire. Spearman rhocorrelation test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Krukal-WallisH-test were applied during data analysis. Median(interquartile)age of the children and adultswas 10.0 (5.0) and50.0 (22.0)years old,respectively.Findings revealed that oral health knowledge and practices among participants, both children and adultswere inadequate as a high proportion of the participants were unable to provide answers for oral health related questions (functions of fluoride and correlation between gum disease with heart disease) andseveral oral health practices (regular oral check-up, change of toothbrush, and consumption of sweetened food) were also not being engaged in the dailylife among thechildren and adultparticipants. A significant correlation was found between age and knowledgescoreamong adult participants(rs= -0.389, p< 0.001). Besides, significant higheroral health knowledgescorewere found amongadult participants with higher education level(H= 27.466; p<0.001) and significant higher in oral health practice score was found amongunemployedadultparticipantswhen compared to self-employedandemployed workers for government and private(H= 9.631, p= 0.008). In conclusion, younger and educated participants are more knowledgeable regarding oral health.Engagement of oral health practices were related to occupation of the adult participants. Provision of health education and education aid for longhouse community should be continued taking into considerationage,level of education level, and even occupationin order to improve their oral health knowledge and practice.