Practices Of School Children Research Articles

Effect of Interactive Nutrition and Health Education Intervention on Knowledge and Practices of Indian School Children and Their Parents

The purpose of the present study was to identify the effect of an interactive health and nutrition education intervention on the knowledge and practices of school children and their parents. An experimental-control pre-post study, wherein 246 students (10–12 years) and their parents, from two schools, were enrolled for the study and divided into experimental ( n = 121) and control ( n = 125) groups. The experimental group received an interactive health and nutrition intervention for 3 months, which included PPT’s and various games/activities. One month after the intervention period, post-data was collected from both groups, to identify the effect. Knowledge and practices regarding health, nutrition, and physical activity were studied. All the data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS-23 software. A significant change was observed in fruit ( p < .001), vegetable ( p < .05), and water intake ( p < .05) of experimental group children in comparison to the control group. Physical activity (moderate/vigorous) for 60 minutes or more increased by 21.5% among the intervention group. Knowledge change in health and nutrition parameters was also observed. A reduction in the parental practice of giving ultra-processed food to a child’s lunch box was also seen post-4 months among the experimental group. The interactive education package delivered to school children and parents had a positive impact on their knowledge and practices and can be used as a tool to tackle and prevent the increasing triple burden of child malnutrition in India. Long-term studies in terms of the Indian context are warranted.

A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Planned Teaching Program on School Children Regarding Oral Hygiene: A Pre- and Posttest Implementation Observational Study

Abstract Background: Impact of planned health teaching program on knowledge and practices of school children regarding oral care was planned to be studied. Materials and Methods: The current study was planned with an aim to assess the preexisting knowledge regarding oral hygiene and to evaluate the effectiveness of planned teaching program related to oral hygiene. A preexperimental research approach, one group pretest–posttest design was adopted for the study. Forty-four school children of 3rd–5th class in a private school were included in this study. Data were collected through structured interview questionnaire to assess the knowledge of 3rd–5th class children. Results: The mean posttest knowledge score (11.4) was higher than the mean pretest knowledge scores (8.6) with t value (t = 5.7, P < 0.05). Significant difference in the pretest and posttest was found. The posttest knowledge score is higher than pretest knowledge score with a mean difference of 2.8. Conclusion: There is a significant impact of planned health education using PowerPoint presentations, placards, posters, and live demonstrations on oral hygiene.

Effectiveness of an educational intervention in promoting antibiotic awareness among 8th to 10th grade students in Kerala, India

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of a training program on the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of antimicrobial resistance determinants among high school students in Kerala, India.
 Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted among 8th – 10th grade students for six months in a high school in Kerala, India . This study consisted of a baseline assessment of consenting participants, educational intervention using PowerPoint slides, and post-intervention assessment. Assessments were done using a validated Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior questionnaire.
 Results: Among the 223 eligible students in the selected school, 159 (71.3%) participated in the study. The follow-up rate was 93.08%. Considering a p-value of less than 0.05 to be statistically significant, there was a statistically significant difference in the knowledge (pre-intervention mean score = 6.26 ± 2.06, post-intervention mean score = 7.44 ± 1.81), attitude (pre-intervention mean score = 2.51 ± 1.13, post-intervention mean score = 3.29 ± 1.19), and behavior (pre-intervention score = 4.27 ± 1.40, post-intervention score = 4.74 ± 1.38) of study participants. 
 Conclusion: Educational intervention based on improving the knowledge, attitude, and practice of school children is an effective strategy to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Personal hygiene:Knowledge, attitude, and practice among higher primary school children in Urban Bengaluru, India

Good hygiene practices is crucial to avoid the spread of communicable diseases, which can be taught to children from an early age. Children, especially school-going ones, tend to neglect basic personal hygiene and thus require specific attention to develop good habits. The aim of this study is to assess the personal hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practice of school children, as well as to examine the correlation between these three factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with students in grades six to eight attending higher primary schools. Convenience sampling was used to select the schools, while purposive sampling was employed to select the potential participants. To assess the students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding personal hygiene, a validated KAP questionnaire was used. The data collected were analysed using statistical tests such as Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, Spearman's correlation, as well as descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage. Results: The study found that, almost half of the students (49.07%) displayed good knowledge regarding personal hygiene, while approximately (58.33%) held a positive attitude and (59.26%) had moderate practice regarding personal hygiene. The female students showed the highest median scores in terms of knowledge, attitude, and practice of personal hygiene. Furthermore, the study found that students' knowledge, attitude, and practice of personal hygiene increased as they progressed from sixth to eighth grade. Conclusion: The children displayed a moderate level of knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding personal hygiene and females demonstrating better personal hygiene than males.

Association between Family Level Influences and Caries Prevention Views and Practices of School Children in a Sub-Urban Nigerian Community

Little is known about how family-level factors influence children’s caries prevention views and practices in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between family level characteristics and caries prevention views and practices of 6–11-year-old primary school children. Data was collected through a cross-sectional survey of 1326 children in Ile-Ife, a Nigerian suburb. The child’s family structure, size, and birth rank were independent variables while the child’s caries prevention views and self-care practices were dependent variables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify risk indicator(s) for caries prevention views and practices. The study participants’ mean (SD) age was 8.7 (1.9) years, 407 (30.7%) children had positive caries prevention views, and 106 (8.0%) children did not use the recommended self-care caries preventive methods. Children from larger families had significantly lower odds of having positive prevention views (AOR: 0.572; p = 0.002). Children who were not living with both parents had higher odds of using recommended self-care caries preventive methods (AOR: 3.165; p = 0.048). The findings suggest that family size and family living structure may be social determinants of caries risks in children 6–11 years old in the study population. These findings need to be studied further.

Impact of School-based Oral Health Education on Knowledge, Practice of School Children

Objective: To evaluate the effect of verbal and audiovisual methods of dental health education on knowledge, practice of old school-going children.
 Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Islamia collegiate Middle School for Boys, Peshawar Pakistan, from Dec 2019 to Feb 2020.
 Methodology: The study population consists of 272 middle school children aged 10-13 years. After collecting baseline data which consists of a questionnaire regarding knowledge and attitude about oral hygiene followed by recording plaque score,and gingival score, students were randomly allocated into three groups. Group-1 participants received verbal dental health education through charts and pamphlets about oral health, hygiene, and tooth brushing demonstrations. Group-2 received verbal and audio-video sessions about oral hygiene. Group-3(Control-Group) received no intervention. After the intervention,knowledge attitude and plaque score gingival score was assessed.
 Results: A statistically significant positive change in dental knowledge and practice score was found in the AudiovisualGroup as compared to the Verbal-Group. Post-intervention mean plaque score of the participants was lowered more in the Audiovisual-Group than in the Verbal-Group. In addition, the post-intervention mean gingival score of the participants was lowered more in the audiovisual group than in the verbal group.
 Conclusion: Short-term oral health education programs, including A-V aids, may be useful in improving oral hygiene and gingival health.

Distance olympiad for students of grades VII—IX "The ethical and legal foundations of interaction in social networks"

Communication of schoolchildren in social networks, on the one hand, contributes to their socialization and the development of communication skills, but, on the other hand, creates socially dangerous precedents and threats. The new Federal State Educational Standard for Basic General Education actualizes the importance of developing ethical and legal norms for interaction on the Internet among schoolchildren. On the distance learning portal of the Omsk region in March 2022, a distance Olympiad was held for schoolchildren of grades VII—IX. The Olympiad included a set of tasks on the following topics: "Digital footprint", "Ethical foundations of communication in social networks", "Personal data", "Legal foundations of interaction in social networks". The tasks were presented in a test form with automated verification. A number of tasks contained real situations from the practice of schoolchildren's communication in social networks. The tasks on the concept of a digital footprint, active and passive digital footprint, as well as questions about the legal framework caused the greatest difficulties for the participants of the Olympiad.

Premising and arguing: The variety in 9- to 10-year-old children taking on an equity/equality task in the context of group discussions

This study investigates primary school children's practices of premising (the handling of task premises) and arguing when confronted with a dilemmatic school task as part of a group discussion. As such, the study contributes to the field of education and argumentation with new insights into how children negotiate validity and relevance in relation to the task when asked to argue their stance on an equity/equality matter. The data consist of transcripts of 247 min of video recordings capturing 13 group discussions (54 children, split into groups of four to five, and two teachers) in the German primary school subject Sachunterricht . The findings clarify how the children dynamically move in and out of the task premises, and at times question them, both implicitly and explicitly. The task's openness and ambiguity are discussed in relation to the children's arguing and premising. The teacher's role as mediator in group discussions is contrasted with other forms of classroom discourse. Furthermore, the relevance for researchers to consider the social and cultural circumstances of research in schools – for example, when interpreting children's utterances – is emphasized.

Effectiveness of a structured teaching program on knowledge and practice of school children regarding environmental sanitation and prevention of dengue fever at rural areas of Belagavi district

Effectiveness of a structured teaching program on knowledge and practice of school children regarding environmental sanitation and prevention of dengue fever at rural areas of Belagavi district

First Aid Management: Effectiveness of Training Program among School Children

Accidents may happen anyplace at any time. First aid knowledge is the ways and techniques that are usedto perform practices associated with prevention and immediate response to health emergencies. The mainobjectives of the study were to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding First Aid Managementamong school children for experimental group and control group, to assess the effectiveness of trainingprograms regarding first aid management among school children for the experimental group and controlgroup, to associate the pre-test knowledge score with demographic variables for the experimental group. Theresearch approach selected for the study was the quantitative (quasi-experimental nonequivalent control grouppre-test -post-test only design) approach. A sample of 140 school children (70 experimental group and70control group) was selected by purposive sampling from selected school of Bareilly. The major findingsof the study showed that themean post-test knowledge scores (37.67) of school children regarding first aidmanagement was higher than their mean pre –test knowledge scores (21.67) with a mean difference of 15.88themean post-test attitude level (22.07) of school children regarding first aid management was higher thantheir mean pre –test attitude level (21.02) with a mean difference of 1.05 themean post-test practice scores(6.17) of school children regarding first aid management was higher than their mean pre –test practice scores(0.41) with a mean difference of 5.76.The Training programe was effective in enhancing the knowledge,attitude and practice of school children on first aid management. No significant association between post-testknowledge scores and demographic variables. The findings indicate that the training Programme on first aidmanagement developed by the researcher was effective in enhancing the knowledge, attitude and practiceof school children.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) to assess the impact of school children's awareness of malaria using the MOSKI KIT\xae tool: study case of some Dakar schools in Senegal

BackgroundMOSKI KIT® is a fun tool designed to interest children for prevention and management of malaria. This study was carried out with the objective to assess the short- and long-term impacts of this tool on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of school children, and on the transmission of the knowledge received at the household level as well.MethodThe study took place in elementary schools in the city centre (with relatively low endemicity) and in the Niayes area (at high risk of anopheline and malaria) in the Dakar region of Senegal. The various schools chosen for this study were divided into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention schools were also divided into two subgroups, a full package subgroup and another partial package. During this study three surveys were conducted, the first one before exposure to the MOSKI KIT®, the second one a week later and the third a year later. For the control schools only one survey was conducted and at the same time than the third for the intervention schools. Two household surveys (a week and a year after exposure) were also conducted for the intervention schools against one for the control schools.ResultsBefore sensitization, the proportion of school children with a grade above or equal to the average was 50% for the complete package subgroup (CPS) and 53% for the partial package subgroup (PPS). A week later, these proportions were 69% and 71%, respectively for the complete and PPSs. A year later, they were 99.4% for the CPS, 98.1% for the PPS and 99.5% for the control group; The number of children who spoke to their parents about malaria was greater in intervention schools than that of control schools. They were 46.63% and 32.58%, respectively in intervention and control schools.ConclusionThe MOSKI KIT, has enabled an increase of the knowledge of school children about malaria in the short term and favoured its retention in the long term. However, its impact was not felt on their attitudes and practices.

Effects of food safety education on knowledge, attitude, and practice of schoolchildren in southern Taiwan: A propensity score-matched observational study

Foodborne illness is a common public health problem. To avoid foodborne illness, many studies suggested that food safety education was an effective way. In Taiwan, a food safety course is formally taught to sixth graders. The study aims to evaluate effects of the food safety course on knowledge, attitude, and practice of the sixth graders when compared to the schoolchildren in fifth grade. A repeated observational study was conducted in the Yunlin County, Taiwan from 2016 to 2017 and then matched with propensity scores to reduce confounding. Of 805 questionnaires, 773 (96%) were completed without missing values or invalid answers. After matching, both of fifth and sixth grades had 267 questionnaires. The results suggested that the food safety course could improve the sixth graders' knowledge about food poisoning, food preservation, and food additives, change their attitudes towards food additives, promote the practice of personal hygiene, and pay more attention to food labeling and packaging when buying food. However, around one half of the sixth graders still agreed that those food products containing additives were not good food, and more than seventy percent of the schoolchildren agreed that flavoring agents had harmful effects on human health. From the results of quantile regression, parents working as professionals, technicians, associate professionals, and armed forces occupations could improve their children's knowledge, attitude, or practice regarding food safety. Nevertheless, boys had negative attitudes towards food safety, and mothers as skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers could worsen their children's attitude towards food safety.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Peer Education Program on Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices

Kelab Doktor Muda (KDM) which translates as Young Doctors Club was established by the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia to train a group of schoolchildren as educators in assisting their peers to adopt healthy practices. This research aims to assess the effectiveness of KDM as a peer education program to increase the health knowledge of school children, and instil healthy practices among schoolchildren by identifying the difference in the level of knowledge, attitude and health practice between school with KDM (SKDM) and school without KDM (NKDM). This is a nationwide comparative cross-sectional study between SKDM and NKDM. This study was carried out between March 2016 and March 2017. Data were obtained using a guided self-administered questionnaire through survey involving 2588 (1294 SKDM; 1294 NKDM) year 5 (11 years old) schoolchildren from 87 primary schools nationwide. The results revealed a significantly higher overall knowledge score of health practices, knowledge and practice score for No Smoking component, as well as hand hygiene knowledge in SKDM compared to NKDM. Schoolchildren in SKDM also had significantly lower BMI compared to NKDM, directly related to healthy eating, active lifestyle and ideal body weight, 3 of the 6 components in this program. As a conclusion, the program was found to be not only effective in increasing the overall knowledge of health practice among schoolchildren, but also results in a meaningful impact to the health of schoolchildren. Further improvements to the modules however should be undertaken to enable more comprehensive changes on the health practices of schoolchildren.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pediculus Capitis Prevention and Control and Their Predictors among Schoolchildren in Woreta Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2018: A School-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Pediculus capitis is a human head lice infestation, a major public health issue that is most prevalent in resource-limited countries globally. The current study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of pediculus capitis prevention and control and their predictors among schoolchildren in North West Ethiopia. Methods About 402 randomly selected schoolchildren from three schools in Woreta town participated in the study from April to June 2018. The outcomes of this study were knowledge, attitude, and self-reported practice of schoolchildren about pediculus capitis prevention and control. We used EPI Info 7.1 and SPSS 21 software for data entry and analysis, respectively. Binary logistic regression was employed to test the association of covariates with the outcome/response variables. Variables with a p value <0.2 during the bivariable binary logistic regression analysis were included in the multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. Variables with p value <0.05 were declared as significantly associated with outcomes. Results The mean age of the study participants was 10.19 (±1.62) years. About 58.8%, 45.8%, and 78.6% of the schoolchildren had better self-reported pediculus capitis prevention knowledge, attitude, and practice, respectively. Age of children [9 to 11 years (AOR = 2.24, 95% C.I (1.10, 4.55)) and>12 years (AOR = 3.84, 95% C.I (1.56, 9.46))], better practice (AOR = 2.93, 95% C.I (1.39, 6.18)), and those who were not infested (AOR = 2.25, 95% C.I (1.14, 4.44)) were predictors of knowledge regarding pediculus capitis prevention. Better practice (AOR = 4.33, 95% C.I (1.69, 11.09)) and absence of infestation (AOR = 2.97, 95% C.I (1.64, 5.36)) were predictors of attitude of schoolchildren about pediculus capitis prevention. Number of students in a class [51 to 56 students per classroom, AOR = 4.61, 95% C.I (1.83, 11.67); 57 to 58 students per classroom, AOR = 8.18, 95% C.I (2.73, 24.46)], less than five family size (AOR = 2.37, 95% C.I (1.24, 4.54)), better knowledge (AOR = 2.93, 95% C.I (1.32, 6.50)), desirable attitude (AOR = 4.24, 95% C.I (1.60, 11.23)), and absence of infestation (AOR = 3.52, 95% C.I (1.22, 10.15)) were predictors of self-reported pediculus capitis prevention practice. Conclusion The knowledge, attitude, and practice of schoolchildren regarding pediculus capitis prevention and control were not satisfactory. To bring change, intensive efforts on factors associated with the knowledge, attitude, and practice should be encouraged.

Nutrition Education Impact on Nutrition Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Schoolchildren: A Pilot Study in Ghana

Abstract Objectives Malnutrition among children, and adolescents remains a crucial public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa. Nutrition education contributes to acquisition of nutrition knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) which may lead to improved nutrition status and health, and brings greatest benefits to the poor and the most vulnerable particularly school-age children (SAC). We evaluated the impact of a 6-week nutrition education intervention on nutrition KAP, and nutrition status of SAC. The effect of nutrition education training on the knowledge of teachers and caregivers was also evaluated. Methods Pretest-posttest controlled design was used in elementary schools in Ghana. A total of 325 SAC 6–12 years old, 6 teachers and 99 caregivers completed the study. Nutrition KAP were estimated using a standardized questionnaire. Nutrition status was calculated using height and weight measurements. Results Schoolchildren in the intervention group had significantly higher knowledge scores (8.8 ± 2.0 vs. 5.9 ± 2.1, P &amp;lt; 0.0001) compared to controls in lower elementary level. The attitude of children in learning about food and nutrition issues was a higher proportion in the intervention group as compared to control group (88% vs. 77%, P = 0.031). Dietary diversity score did not differ significantly between intervention and control groups (4.8 ± 2.0 vs. 5.1 ± 1.4, P = 0.184). Intervention group had a marginally lower proportion of stunted SAC at the end of the study period as compared to control group (3.6% vs. 8.2%, P = 0.080). The nutrition knowledge of teachers, and caregivers significantly improved (12.5 ± 1.87 vs. 9.2 ± 2.1; P = 0.031) and (5.85 ± 0.73 to 6.29 ± 1.02, P = 0.009), respectively. Conclusions Nutrition education could have positive effects for passing on nutrition knowledge, and attitudes to elementary school children which are essential to developing healthy behaviors, and managing nutrition status. Funding Sources This study was funded by the Institute of International Education with award of the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program.

Effect of Health Education on Knowledge Attitude Practice towards Malaria among Basic Schools Pupils in Taiz

Background: Malaria is one of the main health problems in Yemen. Health education is essential for the control of diseases such as malaria. School-age children represent 25% of Yemen’s population. Schools children can convey the knowledge and skills that they acquire at school to the community, thus increasing general community awareness about malaria. Aim to determine the impact of school-based malaria education intervention on knowledge, attitude and practice of school children towards malaria prevention and control. Methods: We conducted a community-based trial, intervention and non-intervention comparison (exposed & non-exposed), in four randomly selected districts (rural and urban) of Taiz governorate. This study was conducted in four districts of Taiz governorate. The study population was 2130 pupils of grade 6, 7, and 8 in primary schools, chosen from four randomly selected districts; two of them were rural and the others urban. Four schools and their pupils (1065 pupils) were chosen for the study and assigned as an intervention group and four schools with their pupils (1065) were chosen for the study and assigned as a non-intervention (1065 pupils). Data were collected using questioner in intervention and non-intervention schools (three months apart). The major intervention activities included lectures about malaria, distribution of educational materials. χ2 was used to analyze differences. Results: Health education activities in schools were associated with the increased knowledge of malaria symptoms and methods of prevention. The mean knowledge of malaria symptoms is higher in the intervention schools 4.4 ± 1.9, compared with 2.1 ± 1.4 in the non-intervention group. With statistically significant difference (P < 0.001), also the positive attitude and practice toward malaria was higher to be (48%) in the intervention group; compared with (35%) in the non-intervention group the difference was statistically significant. The knowledge of mode of malaria transmission was higher in the intervention schools to be (86.2%) compared with (59.1%) in the non-intervention group, with statistically significant deference (P value <0.001). The knowledge of fever as a main malaria symptom was higher to be (90.4%) in the intervention schools compared with (63.6%) in the non-intervention schools with statistically significant deference. Conclusions and Recommendation: This study concludes that the health education intervention in primary schools in Taize governorate had a positive impact on the knowledge, attitude and practice of pupils. We recommend to conduct similar methods of the health education activities in schools with suitable modifications to reach all schools level.

Knowledge and Practices of School Children and Teachers Regarding Musculoskeletal Problems: An Educational Intervention

The present study aimed to evaluate knowledge and practices of school children and teachers regarding musculoskeletal problems. Design: A quasi experimental design was used. Setting: This study was carried out at two preparatory schools, Al Kholfaa Al Rashdean, and Al Shahid Ahmad Hamdy in El-Massera district, Helwan, Cairo Governorate. Sample: A stratified multi-stage cluster random sample was used for selection of 253 school children and all teachers in both selected schools who constitute 145 teachers. Data were collected through two main tools: I-An interviewing questionnaire to assess general characteristics of school children and teachers, school children weight, and history of musculoskeletal problems, school children and teachers' knowledge regarding musculoskeletal problems. II-Observational checklist to assess practice of school children and teachers regarding to school bag weight, lifting, carrying and favorable postures techniques during standing and sitting. Results of this study showed that there was highly statistically significant difference between pre, post and follow up after two months of implementation of an educational intervention on school children and teachers' knowledge and health practices regarding musculoskeletal problems and its’ prevention. Conclusion: An educational intervention is positively improved school children and teachers' knowledge and health practices regarding musculoskeletal problems among school children. Recommendation: Dissemination of an educational intervention improves school children and teachers' knowledge and health practices regarding musculoskeletal problems

Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention Programme on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of School Children Regarding Prevention of Hypertension

A study was conducted to find out the effectiveness of an educational intervention programme on knowledge, attitude and practice regarding prevention of hypertension among school children from selected schools of Kerala.

Prácticas de higiene bucal en escolares del Municipio de “San Ignacio de Loyola”, Francisco Morazán

Salud bucal es la interacción de todos los factores económicos, sociales, biológicos y culturales que propician una permanencia más prolongada de los dientes en el individuo. Además, se sustenta en una actitud de prevención, nutrición, higiene bucal y armonía fisiológica que permita la mejor función con los órganos involucrados en la digestión; para ello es imperante que los niños se cepillen los dientes por lo menos dos veces al día, también utilizar la seda o hilo dental por lo menos una vez al día para retirar la placa bacteriana de los espacios interdentales (labor que el cepillo dental no puede realizar), y para efecto de control odontológico, se debe visitar al odontólogo cada seis meses por lo menos. El objetivo del estudio fue caracterizar las prácticas de higiene bucal en 1183 escolares del municipio de “San Ignacio de Loyola”, Francisco Morazán. Método: Estudio observacional, descriptivo de corte transversal, sobre las prácticas de higiene bucal de los escolares del municipio de San Ignacio, pertenecientes al Proyecto APS-Bucal que realizó la Facultad de Odontología, con estudiantes, pasantes en servicio social y docentes; mediante un cuestionario y observación clínica. Se aplicaron los principios éticos incluidos en la Declaración de Helsinki, por lo cual se solicitó el asentimiento informado; explicando que la evaluación dental no es sujeto de riesgo a su dignidad, secretividad, seguridad física ni a su vida. Una vez recopilada toda la información a partir del instrumento utilizado; se obtuvieron los siguientes resultados: Un 13% de los escolares no posee cepillo dental, a pesar de los esfuerzos realizados en materia de salud oral. Solo 40% de los escolares, practica el cepillado dental frecuentemente. 94% no usa seda o hilo dental diario. Al 75% de los niños, ninguna vez le han aplicado flúor. El 62% ninguna vez han visitado al odontólogo. El 32% de los escolares no ejerce cepillado lingual que es una acción muy adecuada para disminuir la carga bacteriana de la cavidad bucal, así mismo para prevenir la halitosis o mal aliento. Conclusiones: Las prácticas de higiene bucal son deficientes, por esta razón se aplicará a futuro el modelo APS-B, ubicando al escolar como ser biopsicosocial al que se le brinde atención integral.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of schoolchildren toward whole grains and nutritional outcomes in Malaysia

Whole grains play an important role in regulating body weight. However, interventions aimed to increase whole grains consumption have had limited impact on body mass index for age z-score (BAZ) due to insufficient understanding of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) toward whole grains. This survey aimed to evaluate whole grains KAP among schoolchildren, as well as to investigate the associations of whole grains KAP with BAZ among the schoolchildren in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 380 schoolchildren aged 9–11 years, cluster sampled from six randomly selected schools. Data were collected through a validated self-administered guided questionnaire. Body weight and height were measured. A majority of the schoolchildren had normal body weight (56.6%), moderate whole grains knowledge (42.6%), as well as neutral attitudes (66.1%) and poor practices (58.9%) toward whole grains consumption. Significant positive associations were found between knowledge and attitudes (r = 0.337; p < .01), attitudes and practices (r = 0.150; p < .01) and knowledge and practices (r = 0.190; p < .01). Further, whole grains consumption's practices was associated with BAZ after adjusting for sex, gender, race and area where children lived in (p < .001). Outcome of this present study implies that positive change in whole grain knowledge would help to inculcate positive attitudes and cultivate better practices toward whole grain consumption, which may be useful in lower BAZ among schoolchildren in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. This study reveals the importance of KAP toward whole grains among children to assist in identification of specific preventive childhood obesity actions.