Effect of an educational intervention based on the trans-theoretical model on oral health behaviors in pregnant women

Research has shown that oral health-related knowledge and behaviors are poor for pregnant women and the prevalence of dental caries and other periodontal disease is relatively high among them. This study examined the effect of educational intervention on the oral health-related practice of pregnant women using TTM. This randomized controlled quasi-experimental study was carried out in the first half of 2013 in Qazvin, Iran. Using a multistage sampling procedure, 130 pregnant women referring to health centers in Qazvin were selected to participate in the study. Demographic data, TTM construct-related questions and oral health-related behaviors of pregnant women were collected using valid and reliable self-administered questionnaires before and after intervention. According to the needs assessment and based on TTM constructs, three 45-minute sessions of group discussions associated with lectures, debating and pamphlets were held for the experimental group. Finally, the data were analyzed with SPSS 19.0 using chi-squared test, independent and paired t-tests and Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests (α=0.05). After training, significant increases were observed in the means of self-efficacy (from 23.6±6.4 to 39.5±8.6), preparation steps (from 1.6±0.9 to4.2±0.7), profits (from 29.2±9.0 to 51.4±12.3) and change processes (from 27.9±8.1 to 54.4±10.5) in the experimental group (P< 0.001). Also, a significant decrease was found in the mean score of costs (from 24.4±5.7 to 11.7±7.0) (p value < 0.001). In addition, the mean score of oral health behaviors in pregnant women increased significantly in the experimental group (from 49.0±6.8 to 73.6±9.4) (p value < 0.001). Intervention with the use of trans-theoretical model in pregnant women is able to improve oral health behaviors and develop underlying and predisposing factors related to health behaviors.