Combining self-management cues with incentives to promote interdental cleaning among Indian periodontal disease outpatients

BMC Oral Health

Research Article

Pempa Lhakhang¹  Nina Knoll¹  Shonali Sud²  Nayantara Sud³  Ralf Schwarzer⁴  Kyra Hamilton⁵  Jeroen Kroon⁶ 

[1] Department of Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany;Department of Psychology, St. Bede’s College, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, India;Himachal Pradesh Govt. Dental College & Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, India;Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, Sydney, Australia;Menzies Health Institute Queensland and School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia;School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia;Menzies Health Institute Queensland and School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia;

关键词: Dental cleaning;    Flossing;    Motivation;    Self-efficacy;    Intention;    Incentives;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12903-016-0164-5

 received in 2015-04-10, accepted in 2016-01-19,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundPeriodontal disease is a significant public health issue worldwide. Motivational techniques in combination with financial incentives are shown to lead to effective behavior change. The current study sought to examine whether a brief oral health promotion program (self-management cues that were based on self-efficacy and self-regulatory skills) in combination with an incentive (free dental treatment) would make a difference in the adoption of regular dental flossing in a population of Indian periodontal disease outpatients.MethodsOne hundred and twelve participants (n = 55 oral health promotion intervention group; n = 57 control group) were assigned to the intervention (self-management cues + incentive) or control groups, and follow-up assessments were performed three weeks later. Flossing frequency, behavioral intentions, and perceived self-efficacy served as dependent variables. Data were analyzed with mixed models, ANCOVAs, and path analyses.ResultsThe intervention yielded effects on flossing frequency (p < 0.01) and flossing intentions (p < 0.01) at follow-up. Women developed stronger intentions than men. Moreover, by path analysis a sequential mediation chain was found that demonstrated an indirect effect of the intervention on flossing via self-efficacy and intentions: the intervention predicted changes in self-efficacy which, in turn, were associated with changes in intentions, predicting flossing frequency at follow up, while controlling for baseline behavior, gender, and age.ConclusionsCombining incentives with minimal self-management cues has been found effective in improving interdental cleaning intentions and habits in periodontal disease patients, and the facilitating role of dental self-efficacy has been demonstrated.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Lhakhang et al. 2016