Oral Health Literacy Level among the Mothers of Preschool Students According to Demographic Factors

Abstract

Introduction: Oral health literacy (OHL) is defined as an individual's capacity to comprehend and effectively utilize information pertaining to dental health, which subsequently influences oral health behaviors and informs decision-making processes. OHL plays a critical role in mitigating oral health disparities, enhancing dental health outcomes, and establishing a foundation for the development of sound oral health practices among parents. Objective: To analyze the differences in OHL levels among parents of early childhood education (ECE) students, specifically in relation to the demographic factors of school location and socioeconomic status, age, education, and income. Methods: This study used an analytical approach and adopted a cross-sectional design. The target population consisted of mothers of children enrolled in ECE programs in South Jakarta. A total of 99 participants were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected through the distribution of the Health Literacy in Dentistry 14 (HeLD-14) questionnaire via Google Forms, followed by analysis using chi-square and Pearson chi-square tests. Results: The results showed that mothers of ECE students in South Jakarta had an average OHL score of 48.4, indicating high literacy levels. The chi-square test showed significant differences in literacy levels based on socioeconomic status factors such as age (p-value = 0.000) and education (p-value = 0.035). Among the ten demographic regions in South Jakarta, there were significant differences in literacy levels between these regions (p-value = 0.009). Conclusion: The study found that demographic factors, especially the location or region of the ECE, significantly influence the OHL levels of mothers with children attending ECE in South Jakarta.