Factors associated with the use of fashion braces of the Saudi Arabian Youth: application of the Health Belief Model

To assess the knowledge, awareness, and perception of non-dentists offering orthodontic treatment among the Malaysian young adult population

BACKGROUND

The increasing number of young adults seeking cheaper and easily accessible orthodontic treatment from unlicensed practitioners in Malaysia poses significant risks to patients. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate their motivations and awareness regarding such practices. The objective of our study was to assess the knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of non-dentists offering orthodontic treatment among the Malaysian young adult population.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study. An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed to Malaysian citizens aged 18-37 years. The questionnaire consisted of 11 questions that investigated their awareness of non-dentists offering orthodontic treatment, the harmful effects of braces fitted by non-dentists, and potential strategies to mitigate this phenomenon.

RESULTS

The study was completed by 426 participants, predominantly Malay, with a mean age of 22.9 years. A total of 76.1% reported awareness of braces fixed by non-dentists, primarily through social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Lower cost emerged as the predominant motive (83.6%) for opting for non-dentist orthodontic treatment, followed by no waiting list (48.8%). Notably, the majority of participants acknowledged the illegality (70%) and potential harm (77%) associated with non-dentists providing orthodontic treatment. Legal enforcement (53.1%) was identified as the preferred method for mitigating this practice. Occupation significantly influenced knowledge of illegal orthodontic treatment (p < 0.05), however no significant association was found for gender and level of education (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The survey revealed that young adults are aware of and informed about non-dentists offering orthodontic treatment. While they identified cost as the primary reason for seeking such services, they also recognized legislation and public awareness through campaigns and social media as effective strategies to address this issue. Additionally, significant differences in legal awareness were observed among different occupational levels.

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with the Satisfaction Level of Peruvian Dental Students with Virtual Classes During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Bicentric Study

Background

The pandemic caused by Covid-19 impacted all areas of social, economic and educational activity. When there is a high risk of spreading highly infectious diseases, education is usually the first service to be suspended. The objective was to evaluate the sociodemographic factors associated with the satisfaction level of Peruvian dental students with virtual classes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods

This observational, cross-sectional, analytical study evaluated 237 dental students from the capital city and one Peruvian province using a validated 13-item questionnaire to measure the level of satisfaction with virtual classes. Pearson's chi-square test and a logit model were used to evaluate the associated factors such as age group, sex, marital status, monthly family income, area of residence, place of origin, occupation and computer use, considering a significance level of p<0.05.

Results

Of all students, 50.6%, 40.1% and 9.3% presented a good, average and poor level of satisfaction, respectively, with the virtual classes received. In addition, those with a monthly family income of less than 500 US dollars were 3.15 times more likely to have poor satisfaction compared to those with a monthly family income of more than 1000 US dollars (AOR = 3.15; 95% CI: 1.23-8.05). The rest of the variables evaluated were not considered influential factors in the levels of satisfaction with the virtual classes received.

Conclusión

Of all students, 50.6% and 9.3% reported good and poor satisfaction with virtual classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. Monthly family income of less than 500 US dollars was an influential factor. In addition, the variables age group, sex, marital status, area of residence, place of origin, occupation and computer use were not found to be influential factors.

Analysis of Preventive Behaviors of Rural Tourism Hosts in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic: Application of Health Belief Model

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is one of the most severe public health crises in recent history. Therefore, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its negative effects on the health of rural tourist hosts and the rural community, it is necessary to pay attention to the conservation and health behaviors of rural tourist hosts. This study was conducted with the purpose of analyzing preventive behaviors of rural tourism hosts in the face of COVID-19 pandemic with the application of the health belief model (HBM) that is one of the most widely used models to study behavior to prevent and control diseases. In this study, all 80 tourism hosts of tourism target villages in Kermanshah province (the west of Iran), were studied as study population. A questionnaire was used to collect data which its validity and reliability were confirmed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) using Smart PLS software was used to analyze the data. The results of SEM indicated that perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, self- efficacy, perceived benefits, and cues to action accounted for 56% of the variance of "COVID-19 preventive health behavior" among the hosts of rural tourists in Kermanshah province. Moreover, the perceived susceptibility was the strongest predictor of preventive health behavior, while perceived barriers were not significant on behavior. Therefore, planning based on the HBM with emphasis on increasing awareness to improve and modify the health behavior of rural tourist hosts is recommended.