This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): African-American children from rural areas are at risk for oral disease because of poor access to dental care, limited availability of dental services and often low fluoridation levels in the water. In addition, the high incidence of diabetes mellitus in this population places these children at even greater risk for oral disease. The research goal of this investigation is to pilot-test the efficacy of an oral health psychoeducational program for African-American adolescents with diabetes. In order to accomplish this goal, a physiological and a psychological outcome measure will be developed and employed. The physiological measure is the oral health status, which includes caries and periodontal disease. For the psychological measure, a culturally appropriate and valid instrument to measure the oral health attitudes, knowledge, and practices for African-American adolescents will be developed. It is hypothesized that African-American adolescents with diabetes who have received oral health psychoeducational training will demonstrate an improvement in: (1) adherence to daily oral hygiene practices as measured by monthly self-reports frequency of brushing and flossing, (2) oral health attitudes, knowledge, and practices as measured by an oral health instrument (Best Dental Practices Survey), and (3) oral health status as measured by the severity of dental disease when compared to those participating in the control group at one-month post-intervention and six-month follow-up evaluation.
Three specific aims evolve from this goal:
Aim 1. To develop a culturally appropriate oral health instrument (Best Dental Practices Survey) that measures the oral health attitudes, knowledge, and practices for African-American adolescents living in the rural community that traditionally has been underserved for dental needs.
Aim 2. To develop a psychoeducational training manual as an oral health intervention tool for African-American adolescents with diabetes.
Aim 3. To evaluate the efficacy of a pilot clinical trial examining an oral health psychoeducational program designed to improve the oral health status, attitudes, knowledge, and practices for African- American adolescents with diabetes.
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