Exploring the Impact of Mental Health Education on Adolescents’ Perceptions About Mental Health and Mental Illness. Improving community health

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of mental health and mental illness as well as the perceptions towards people with mental illness among adolescents, and further to examine the impact that a mental health educational intervention has on these perceptions. The review of the literature revealed a small number of publications on mental health educational interventions among adolescents which aimed at increasing knowledge and affecting attitudes towards mental illness with positive results. Fifty nine pupils (13-16 years old) from two randomly selected secondary schools around Athens, Greece, participated in this study. These schools were randomly selected as the experimental group (n=28) which participated in the mental health educational intervention, and the comparison group (n=31), which did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using individual interviews with open-ended questions, drawings and a questionnaire (Opinions about Mental Illness - O.M.I. scale). The participants described mental health and mental illness before and after the intervention, using the same expressions for both terms. Among the experimental group, changes were seen within the same expressions after the intervention, although some descriptions did not change. However, after the intervention, participants in the experimental group did not confuse mental health with mental illness and they also included specific diagnostic examples or stated that mental illness can happen to anyone and it can be managed. Moreover, they expressed positive attitudes towards mentally ill people, which they had not done before the intervention. The analysis of the drawings before the intervention showed that mentally ill persons were drawn similarly in both groups. After the intervention, the drawings of the participants in the experimental group changed, including fewer negative elements, while the drawings of the comparison group did not change. Regarding the results on the O.M.I. scale, it was found that the score on the Social Discrimination factor significantly decreased from pre-test to post-test in both study groups. The experimental group had higher levels on Social Discrimination at pre-test compared to the comparison group, but this difference was not significant at post-test. No significant changes were found for the Social Restriction factor for either study group. Scores of the Social Care and Social Integration factors increased significantly only in the intervention group. Overall, the results of this study indicate that the mental health educational intervention had a positive impact on the perceptions about mental health and mental illness among adolescents, and (mental) health professionals can use these results for implementing similar interventions and further research.

The self-management approach of health education in the treatment of chronic illnesses

Health education is essential to the successful treatment of individuals with chronic illnesses. Self-management is a philosophical model of health education that has been shown to be effective in teaching individuals with chronic arthritis to manage their illness as part of their daily lives. Despite the proven results of arthritis self-management programs, some limitations of this form of health education were apparent in the literature. The present study attempted to address the problems of the self-management approach of health education such as reasons for lack of participation in programs and poor course outcomes. In addition, the study served to investigate the relationship between course outcomes and participation in programs with the theory upon which arthritis self-management programs are based, known as self-efficacy theory. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, data collection, and analysis, a deeper understanding of the self-management phenomenon in the treatment of chronic arthritic conditions was established. Findings of the study confirm findings of previous studies that suggest that arthritis self-management programs result in enhanced levels of self-efficacy and are effective in teaching individuals with arthritis to self-manage their health and health care. Findings of the study suggest that there are many factors that determine the choice of participants to participate in programs and the outcomes for the individuals who do choose to participate in programs. Some of the major determinants of enrollment and outcomes of programs include: the participant's personality, beliefs, attitudes and abilities, and the degree of emotional acceptance of the illness. Other determinants of course enrollment and outcomes included class size and length of time, timing of participation, and ongoing support after the program. The results of the study are consistent with the self-management literature and confirm the relationship between the underlying philosophies of adult education and Freire's model of education and self-management.

Teacher-Student Rapport: Investigating its Impact on the Dropout Rate in Physical and Health Education

This study was an investigation into whether strong teacher-student rapport relates to the drop-out rates of students in grade 9 and 10 health and physical education (HPE). In the study, One hundred and thirty-six grade 9 students from five high schools in Ontario participated in this study. Findings of whether or not rapport related to students’ decision to take an additional HPE credit beyond grade 9 did not prove conclusive. A significant multivariate interaction effect was not found; however, tests of between-subject effects on sex and grade 10 dropouts showed some interesting trends. More research is needed to further illuminate the link between teacher-student rapport and students’ enrollment in optional HPE classes.

Health, Education and Employment in a Forward-Backward Dichotomy Based on Standard of Living Index for the Tribes in Kerala

The Paper unfolds the paradox that exists in the tribal community with respect to the development indicators and hence tries to cull out the difference in the standard of living of the tribes in a dichotomous framework, forward and backward. Four variables have been considered for ascertaining the standard of living and socio-economic conditions of the tribes. The data for the study is obtained from a primary survey in the three tribal predominant districts of Wayanad, Idukki and Palakkad. Wayanad was selected for studying six tribal communities (Paniya, Adiya, Kuruma, Kurichya, Urali and Kattunaika), Idukki for two communities (Malayarayan and Muthuvan) and Palakkad for one community (Irula). 500 samples from 9 prominent tribal communities of Kerala have been collected according to multistage proportionate random sample framework. The analysis highlights the disproportionate nature of socio-economic indicators within the tribes in Kerala owing to the failure of governmental schemes and assistances meant for their empowerment. The socio-economic variables, such as education, health, and livelihood have been augmented with SLI based on correlation analysis gives interesting inference for policy options as high educated tribal communities are positively correlated with high SLI and livelihood. Further, each of the SLI variable is decomposed using Correlation and Correspondence analysis for understanding the relative standing of the nine tribal sub communities in the three dimensional framework of high, medium and low SLI levels. Tribes with good education and employment (Malayarayan, Kuruma and Kurichya) have a better living standard and hence they can generally be termed as forward tribes whereas those with a low or poor education, employment and living standard indicators (Paniya, Adiya, Urali, Kattunaika, Muthuvans and Irula) are categorized as backward tribes

Atividades educativas na rede pública de ensino: efeitos sobre a higiene oral e o nível de informação em Saúde Bucal

The contents introduction concerning the individual health cares reveals important since the school education. In this direction, the present study objectified to know an effect of Oral Health education intervention in the oral hygiene and in the schools children information level, of 4º e 5º basic education years. The study was composed by two groups, chosen of random form: control group (n = 115) and experimental group (n = 132), with 247 public net school children in total sample. The experimental group participated of some educative activities in Oral Health, with biweekly frequency, during the 4 months period, given for a surgeon-dentistry. Both the groups were submitted to a clinical examination for a previous verification of the Plaque Index (PI) and of Loe Silness Gingival Index (GI). A questionnaire with closed questions on Oral Health was applied before and after to verify the school children rightness index. After the intervention, the final data, represented for the PI, GI and Rightness Index verification, has been collected for statistical analyses through the chi-square test to a 95 % of reliable level, using the SPSS 10,0 software. The PI and GI were categorized in high and low on the initials index basis medium; already the Rightness Index was categorized in inadequate (< 50%) and adequate (≥ 50%). It was verified that the PI (p = 0,014; IC 0.24-0.86) and the GI (p = 0,013; IC 0,28-0,84) presented differences statistically significant, after the education activities, when compared to with the control, favoring the experimental group. It was verified too the experimental group got greater rightness index, presenting difference highly significant (p<0,0001; IC 3,73-26,81). It was still observed that there was no association between the oral hygiene indicators and the school children information level. Ahead the results, it can been concluded that education activities related in the school routine were capable to give positives effects in the oral hygiene control and in the information level about Oral Health, however, not necessarily, the individual with bigger information is that one who has practiced an oral hygiene more adjusted. One become necessary, however, that the education in Oral Health occurs of permanent and integrated form with others school actors, for the positive effect does not lose the student s life longterm

Conhecimento sobre saúde bucal por concluintes de pedagogia

Este estudo teve por objetivo investigar as opiniões e o conhecimento de concluintes do curso de Pedagogia da cidade de Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil, em 2009, sobre saúde bucal. Para tanto, foi utilizado um questionário semiestruturado, abordando as opiniões dos estudantes sobre educação em saúde bucal e seu conhecimento sobre aspectos relativos à cárie dentária, à odontologia preventiva e à odontologia na primeira infância. de um universo de 120 estudantes, 92 (76,6%) consentiram participar do estudo. Destes, 86,8% acadêmicos acham que o professor deve atuar como educador em saúde bucal e 92,4% consideram importante a sua integração com profissionais de saúde. Responderam corretamente sobre o conceito de placa bacteriana e cárie dentária, respectivamente, 9% e 34,8%. Sobre o surgimento da cárie e sobre a possibilidade de se ter dentes saudáveis a vida inteira, responderam corretamente 67% e 83,7%, respectivamente. Assim, os concluintes de Pedagogia têm opiniões positivas em relação à educação em saúde bucal; entretanto, o seu conhecimento sobre a temática abordada é insatisfatório, uma vez que eles serão futuros professores e formadores de opinião.

Análise do conhecimento de professores de Educação Infantil sobre saúde bucal

A figura do professor exerce grande influência sobre o comportamento dos alunos, pelo contato diário durante longo tempo. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar o conhecimento dos professores de escolas estaduais e municipais de educação infantil no que diz respeito à saúde bucal. Foi realizado um estudo exploratório descritivo, com abordagem quanti-qualitativa com 164 professores, utilizando-se um questionário, autoaplicável, com perguntas sobre o tema. Os mesmos foram digitados e analisados pelo programa Epi Info, 3.5.1. Entre os resultados obtidos, pode-se observar que 94,5% relataram atuar em escolas que possuem atividades de educação em saúde bucal. Sobre as informações a respeito dos cuidados necessários para a manutenção da saúde bucal, 85,4% relataram ter recebido em algum momento. Segundo eles, a informação foi fornecida principalmente pelo cirurgião dentista (64,3%), alunos FOA-UNESP (16,4%), família (5,7%). 95,7% responderam saber o que é cárie dentária. Dentre esses indivíduos, 12,2% relacionaram-na a resíduos acumulados no dente. No que se refere à função do flúor em relação à cárie dentária, 88,4% indicaram conhecê-la. Destes, 50,3% atribuíram ao mesmo a função de proteção da estrutura dental. Pode-se concluir que embora a escola seja um espaço importante de informação, esta é ainda muito pouco aproveitada, os professores possuem pouco conhecimento a respeito dos cuidados necessários para a manutenção da saúde bucal e necessitam de maiores informações para abordarem com segurança estes temas em sala de aula.

Evaluation of partially dentate patients' knowledge about caries and periodontal disease

Objective: This investigation evaluated the knowledge of dental caries and periodontal disease among removable partial denture (RPD) wearers.Method: A total of 127 partially dentate patients participated in this observational study. A structured questionnaire, which included eight questions referring to knowledge about aetiology and prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease, was developed in the local language (Portuguese) and used to collect the data of all the partial denture wearers. A descriptive analysis of data was performed by means of drafting tables.Results: The results demonstrated that 68.5% of patients interviewed had previously received information about oral health care. With regard to bacterial plaque, it was observed that only 34.6% reported having knowledge of this. Whereas, in relation to caries, 76.4% of the interviewees replied that they knew the meaning of this. Nevertheless, 28.3% referred to caries as a whole in the teeth, 16.5% as bad teeth and 9.4% bacteria/creatures on the teeth. Only 17.3% of the partially edentulous patients evaluated were shown to know what disease of the gingiva was.Conclusion: By means of the methodology applied, it could be concluded that the patients who wore RPDs presented deficient knowledge with regard to the prevention, aetiology and development of dental caries and periodontal disease.

Validation of the Brazilian versions of two inventories for measuring oral health-related quality of life of edentulous subjects

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Occlusal caries prevention in high and low risk schoolchildren. A clinical trial

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Experiences of family members regarding the oral health care of children

Este estudo objetivou verificar a compreensão das experiências dos familiares em relação ao cuidado com a saúde bucal das crianças. É estudo qualitativo, realizado em 2007, em distrito de saúde do município de Ribeirão Preto, SP, com 12 cuidadores. Utilizou-se referencial teórico da vulnerabilidade e a perspectiva hermenêutica. Três categorias empíricas foram elaboradas: os significados do cuidado com a saúde bucal, em busca das causas e da prevenção de agravos bucais e a realidade dos serviços de saúde bucal. Entre outros elementos potencializadores da vulnerabilidade infantil aos agravos bucais, emergiu a supervalorização da causalidade biológica, do atendimento de alta complexidade e da odontologia estética e, entre os protetores, a valorização do saber popular e a integração de ações e conhecimentos profissionais. Aponta-se para a revisão das estratégias de prevenção e promoção de saúde bucal, fornecendo elementos para auxiliar os serviços de saúde a reorganizarem o cuidado com a saúde bucal de crianças.

Oral health in renal transplant recipients administered cyclosporin A or tacrolimus

OBJECTIVE: the aim of this study was to determine the oral status of renal transplant recipients receiving cyclosporin A (CsA) or tacrolimus (FK-506) as immunosuppressant.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 88 renal transplant recipients receiving CsA (63 men and 25 women, mean age 51.4 years) and 67 receiving FK-506 (57 men and 10 women, mean age 33.5 years) were included in the study. Donor type, histocompatibility, cold ischemia time and prior delayed graft function were similar between the two groups. Demographics and pharmacological data were recorded for all subjects.RESULTS: the results demonstrated that CsA caused a greater number of oral diseases. A greater number of gingival overgrowth was present in patients treated with CsA. However, the combined use with calcium channel blockers increased the gingival overgrowth number. The occurrence of candida in saliva was observed in 80 renal recipients treated with CsA and 20 treated with FK-506. The presence of squamous oral carcinoma (n = 3) and herpes simplex (n = 10) was observed in patients treated with CsA. These alterations were not observed in renal recipients treated with FK-506.CONCLUSIONS: Renal recipients constitute a high-risk group for oral diseases, as they are immunocompromised. However, the FK-506 regime appears to ameliorate this effect, compared with CsA. Adequate pre- and post-transplant oral health care is recommended for these subjects, irrespective of the time interval for which the drug is administered.

Reliability and validation of a Brazilian version of the Oral Health Impact Profile for assessing edentulous subjects

The aims of this study were to evaluate the reliability and to validate a Brazilian version of Oral Health Impact Profile for assessing edentulous subjects (OHIP-EDENT), an inventory for measuring oral health-related quality of life of edentulous subjects. The sample comprised 65 complete denture wearers (23 men, mean age of 69.1 +/- 10.3 years). The translated OHIP-EDENT was applied on two occasions with a washout period of 3 months. Reliability was assessed by an internal consistency analysis and a test-retest approach. A preliminary validation process was conducted by a qualitative approach/interview. Results of internal consistency showed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.86 or 0.90 for the first or second appointment respectively. Through the test-retest analysis, an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.57 was found, and individual answers reflected a broad range of agreement. Interviewed volunteers (n = 6) comprehended most questions well. In conclusion, the Brazilian version of OHIP-EDENT is adequate for assessing the oral health-related quality of life for edentulous subjects.