Social Cognitive Predictors of Regular Dental Visits and Mouth Self-Examination Behaviors Among the Elderly Population: An Application of the Health Action Process Approach Model Publisher Pubmed



Moghaddam F¹ ; Sargeran K² ; Gholami M² ; Jamali J³ ; Shamshiri A² Show Affiliations
Source: PLoS ONE Published:2023

Abstract

Objective The present study aimed to identify the social cognitive predictors of regular dental visits and mouth self-examination behaviors among the elderly population, based on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) model. Background Regular dental visits and mouth self-examination can prevent oral and dental problems among the elders. Little information is available regarding the social cognitive predictive factors of these two behaviors. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 24 municipality centers in Tehran, Iran in 2021. The centers were selected randomly using a multi-stage cluster sampling method and 301 elderly attendants aged 60≥years participated in the study. Data collection was done using a researcher-made questionnaire including demographic characteristics and the HAPA model constructs for two target behaviors. Data were analyzed using the Smart-PLS version 3.3.9 via correlation and PLS-SEM analysis. Results The mean age of the participants was 65.3±5.33 years and 79.7% were female. The SEM analysis showed that Action Self-Efficacy [b (SD) = 0.595 (0.065), P< 0.001] and Risk Perception [b (SD) = 0.218 (0.070), P< 0.002] were predictors of Intention for mouth self-examination but only Action Self-Efficacy [b (SD) = 0.651 (0.043), P< 0.001] was predictor of Intention for regular dental visits. Recovery Self-Efficacy and Planning directly contributed to the prediction of Mouth Self-Examination. The relationship between Maintenance Self- Efficacy and both behaviors is mediated by Planning. Also, the mediating role of Planning between Intention and target behaviors was confirmed. Conclusion Action self-efficacy predicted the intention for regular dental visits and mouth self-examination behaviors. The relationship between intention and both behaviors was mediated by Planning. Emphasis on improving Action Self-Efficacy and Intention formation will enhance the effectiveness of interventions aiming at promoting the oral health of the elderly population. © 2023 Moghaddam et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.