Relationship between sense of coherence and knowledge on early childhood caries among pregnant women in Bangalore Rural and Urban District

Abstract

Context: Sense of coherence (SOC), as stated, is a global orientation that views life as comprehensible, structural, manageable, and coherent. Pregnancy is considered as a crucial time period where an individual experiences increased stress and apprehension which could indirectly affect the child's Quality of Life. Hence, it is important to assess the SOC during this phase of life. Aims: This study aimed to assess the SOC and knowledge about early childhood caries (ECC) among pregnant women and to correlate SOC, level of education, and oral health status of the pregnant women. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women. The oral health status of the pregnant women was assessed using ICDAS II index and the education status of the participants was also obtained. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-square test was used for intergroup comparison. Mann–Whitney U-test and Pearson's correlations were done to compare the variables between urban and rural population. Simple linear regression analysis and binary logistic regression were done to determine if SOC varied with change in other variables. Results: The mean SOC among rural and urban population were 33.64 and 41.01, respectively. It was seen that urban pregnant women had more knowledge regarding ECC and less Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) as compared to rural pregnant women. There was an inverse relation of knowledge on ECC and SOC with DMFT among urban and rural pregnant women and a direct correlation between knowledge on ECC and SOC with education. Conclusions: This study concludes that SOC and knowledge on ECC are low among rural pregnant women. Furthermore, the SOC correlates with the level of education and oral health status of pregnant women in urban and rural districts of Bangalore, Karnataka.