Modeling the theory of planned behavior to predict adults' intentions to improve oral health behaviors

Finding the person behind caries disease: The dental caregivers' experiences of empowering patients to implement beneficial behavioral changes

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to elucidate dental professionals' experiences of how to empower patients at risk of developing new or additional caries to promote caries-related preventive behavioral changes.

METHODS

Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to qualitative content analysis. To provide credibility and high-quality data, participant recruitment followed strategic sampling. The 10 participants included nine women and one man; six participants were dentists, and four were dental hygienists. In the data analysis, five descriptive and five strategic themes emerged that formed an overarching theme: Finding the person behind caries disease.

RESULTS

The results indicated that by initially getting to know the person behind the patient, trusting relationships and knowledge can be generated to successfully influence patients' behaviors related to caries. The five descriptive themes included: Building a treatment alliance, Understanding habitual patterns, Motivating for changes, Implementing new behaviors, and Preserving behavioral improvements. The descriptive themes each revealed a strategy theme containing several strategy proposals for initiating and supporting caries-preventing behavioral changes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the importance of establishing a treatment alliance to improve the patient's skills, knowledge, and motivation. It underscores the significance of recognizing the individual behind the patient, to facilitate optimal behavior change at the lowest possible level of treatment.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Our findings could assist in strengthening caries-related health promotion, caries prevention, and understanding of oral health literacy techniques.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Information Security Attitude Questionnaire for nurses

AIM

Nurses play a crucial role within medical institutions, maintaining direct interaction with patient data. Despite this, there is a scarcity of tools for evaluating nurses' perspectives on patient information security. This study aimed to translate the Information Security Attitude Questionnaire into Chinese and validate its reliability and validity among clinical nurses.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional design.

METHODS

A total of 728 clinical nurses from three hospitals in China participated in this study. The Information Security Attitude Questionnaire (ISA-Q) was translated into Chinese utilizing the Brislin two-way translation method. The reliability was assessed through internal consistency coefficient and test-retest reliability. The validity was determined through the Delphi expert consultation method and factor analysis.

RESULTS

The Chinese version of ISA-Q consists of 30 items. Cronbach's α coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.930, and Cronbach's α coefficient of the six dimensions ranged from 0.781 to 0.938. The split-half reliability and test-retest reliability were 0.797 and 0.848, respectively. The content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.962. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 6-factor structure supported by eigenvalues, total variance interpretation, and scree plots, accounting for a cumulative variance contribution rate of 69.436%. Confirmatory factor analysis further validated the 6-factor structure, demonstrating an appropriate model fit.

CONCLUSION

The robust reliability and validity exhibited by the Chinese version of ISA-Q establish it as a dependable tool for evaluating the information security attitudes of clinical nurses.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The Chinese iteration of the ISA-Q questionnaire offers a profound insight into the information security attitudes held by clinical nurses. This understanding serves as a foundation for nursing managers to develop targeted intervention strategies aimed at fortifying nurses' information security attitudes, thereby enhancing patient safety.

Influencing factors of health screening among retirees: an extended TPB approach

Background

Health screenings are promoted worldwide as they help detect and prevent overall health issues. Despite expanding coverage, the participation rate among the retired population has not significantly increased. Given the special role of health screenings in promoting health and healthy aging, understanding the behavioral intentions, and influencing factors of retirees' voluntary participation in health screenings is crucial. This study aims to explore the participation intentions in health screenings among the Chinese retired population by integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Self-Efficacy (SE).

Methods

This study used a cross-sectional design to conduct an online questionnaire among 311 retirees in 2023. The questionnaire, tailored for the Chinese retired population, combines the TPB theory and Self-Efficacy theory, including demographic structure, the basic structure of TPB, and SE.

Results

A Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach was used to identify factors related to health screening behaviors. Of the respondents, 311 completed the survey (88.9% response rate). The most crucial determinant of health examination behavior was behavioral intention, with a correlation score of (1.524, p < 0.001). Significant correlates of behavioral intention included Subjective Norms (SN) and Self-Efficacy (SE), followed by Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC) and Attitude (AT), with correlation scores of (0.401, p < 0.001), (0.339, p < 0.001), (0.082, p < 0.001), and (0.060, p < 0.05), respectively.

Conclusion

This study provides insights for enhancing the willingness and behavior of retirees to participate in health screenings.

Determinants of HPV vaccine uptake intentions in Chinese clinical interns: an extended theory of planned behavior approach

Background

This study aims to utilize the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model to examine the intentions of clinical interns in China towards Human papillomaviruses (HPV) vaccination. It also fills a significant gap in the literature concerning vaccine acceptance in this specific population.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out with clinical interns in Shandong Province, China, with a total of 1,619 participants. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires, including demographic characteristics, TPB variables, and HPV-related health knowledge. Hierarchical regression analysis was employed to identify key factors influencing vaccination intentions, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the interrelationships between these factors.

Results

This study initially identified key predictors affecting clinical interns' intentions to receive the HPV vaccine through hierarchical regression analysis. The preliminary model, which accounted for demographic factors, revealed foundational impacts of household income and HPV-related clinical experience on intentions. After integrating TPB variables-attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and HPV-related health knowledge-the model's explanatory power was enhanced to 37.30%. SEM analysis focused on the interplay among TPB constructs and extended variables, confirming their significance in forming vaccination intentions, with subjective norm having the most substantial impact (β = 0.375, p < 0.001). The extended TPB model explained over half of the variance in vaccination intentions, substantiating the hypotheses and revealing the psychological determinants behind clinical interns' decision-making for HPV vaccination.

Conclusion

The extended TPB model from this study effectively explains the vaccination intentions among clinical interns for HPV, offering theoretical support for public health strategies and educational interventions targeting this group. These findings are of significant importance for public health practice and future health promotion strategies.

Examining the moderating effect of perceived risk from particulate matter on outdoor sports participants: a theory of planned behavior perspective

Purpose

This study, drawing from the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), examines the structural relationship among attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and behavioral intention. The study focuses on investigating how the perceived risk associated with particulate matter moderates the relationships between "attitudes and behavioral intention," "subjective norms and behavioral intention," and "PBC and behavioral intention" within the context of individuals engaged in outdoor sports.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from outdoor sports gatherings facilitated through a popular South Korean sports meetup application. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to establish the construct validity of the measurement scale, assess factor loadings, averaged variance extracted (AVE), and construct reliability (CR). We also ensured the reliability of the measurement scale through Cronbach's α analysis. To achieve our research objectives, we utilized structural equation modeling with maximum likelihood estimation to examine the positive relationships under investigation. Additionally, we performed moderation analysis using the statistical software Jamovi.

Findings

The findings demonstrate the significant impacts of attitudes, subjective norms, and PBC on behavioral intention and reveal that perceived risk acts as a moderator, influencing the relationship between PBC and behavioral intention.

Factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree: evidence from Shandong Province, China

Introduction

In recent years, the pursuit of a master's degree has become a social phenomenon of wide concern. It is essential to understand why large number of students choose to pursue master's degree. This study aims to empirically analyze the factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree.

Method

Based on the extended theory of planned behavior, this study conducts a questionnaire survey of university students in Shandong Province, which has had the highest number of people taking the postgraduate entrance examination in China for several years. A total of 440 questionnaires were finally collected, including 417 valid questionnaires. And then ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to analyze the factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree.

Results

In general, the intent to pursue a master's degree is positively influenced by attitude (β = 0.161, p < 0.01) and subjective norms (β = 0.208, p < 0.01), and negatively influenced by risk perception (β = -0.084, p < 0.05). Compared with male students, female students' intent is more likely to be influenced by risk perception (β = -0.144, p < 0.05) and social factors (β = 0.140, p < 0.05). The intent of upperclass students tends to be positively influenced by perceived behavioral control (β = 0.125, p < 0.05), whereas the negative impact of risk perception (β = -0.219, p < 0.05) on the intent is significant for underclass students. The intent of students in rural areas are more sensitive to risk perception (β = -0.194, p < 0.01) than those of students in cities. In private universities, social factors (β = 0.445, p < 0.05) significantly affect the intent to pursue a master's degree. In ordinary public universities, the intent of students is more likely to be influenced by risk perception (β = -0.082, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The study is helpful to strengthen the understanding of the influencing factors of the intent to pursue a master's degree. In general, the intent to pursue a master's degree is mainly influenced by attitude, subjective norms and risk perception. Moreover, the influencing factors vary among different groups (e.g., female vs. male, rural areas vs. cities). Furthermore, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, risk perception, and social factors have greater impacts on the intent of students from low-income households than those from high-income households. This study can provide policy implications for universities to take targeted educational measures to encourage students to make a choice that suits their own development after graduation.

The effect of training intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on oral and dental health behaviors in pregnant women

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy is a transient physiological condition that causes adverse oral and dental consequences. The present study aimed to determine the effect of a training intervention based on the theory of planned behavior on oral and dental behaviors in pregnant women.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 140 pregnant women (70 in the intervention group and 70 in the control group) supported by comprehensive health centers on the outskirts of Shiraz, Iran, in 2019-2020. The sampling was performed in each center by a simple random method. The tool included a demographic characteristics questionnaire, a questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior, a self-care behavior questionnaire, and checklists for recording DMFT(Decayed, Missing due to caries, and Filled Teeth(DMFT)) and dental plaque indices. The questionnaires were completed before and 3 months after the intervention by both groups. The intervention group received six 50-min training sessions. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22, the chi-squared test, independent t-test, paired t-test, and descriptive statistics (p < 0.05).

RESULTS

The mean ages of the intervention and control groups were 32.28 ± 6.14 and 31.84 ± 6.71, respectively. The results showed that the average scores of all constructs of the theory of planned behavior, dental plaque indices (PI), and MDFT in the intervention group significantly changed after the intervention (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

According to the results, training based on the theory of planned behavior was effective on dental and oral health behaviors in pregnant women and improved the clinical results of their self-care behaviors. Therefore, training sessions will increase the knowledge of pregnant women, and providing timely consultations and examinations can be helpful and effective in developing oral and dental health behaviors in pregnant women.

Exploring factors influencing nurses' attitudes towards their role in dental care

BACKGROUND

The burden of oral disease requires collaboration between health care professionals. Nurses are frequently exposed to patients and can play a vital role in prevention of oral diseases. This study aimed to investigate nurses' attitudes towards their role in dental care and its associated factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, survey-based study recruited a total of 525 nurses in Eastern Saudi Arabia, using a snow-ball sampling technique. Data was collected using an online, pre-validated 40-item questionnaire with four domains (attitudes, knowledge, practices, and demographic data).

RESULTS

Nurses showed satisfactory attitudes (52.8 ± 8.2) and average knowledge (13.4 ±3.9). More than two thirds (70.3%) reported responding to patients' questions about oral health conditions, 47.1% and 19.7% conducted oral health screening and education respectively. Referral practices were reported by 266 (50.7%) of the participants with pain being the main reason for referrals. Attending lectures/ trainings on oral health and having a formal education about oral health were significantly associated with nurses' positive attitudes towards their role in dental care (P<0.001). Conducting oral health screening or education were also significantly associated with positive attitudes (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Positive attitudes were observed among those with undergraduate oral health backgrounds, in continuous education, and those who were involved in oral health screenings. There is a need for under and postgraduate inclusion of oral health training in nurses' education.