[Primary Care and oral health promotion: Assessment of an educational intervention in school children]. / Atención Primaria y promoción de la salud bucodental: evaluación de una intervención educativa en población infantil.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the short and medium term effectiveness of a Primary Care-driven oral health promotion intervention. DESIGN: A non-randomised community intervention trial. SETTING: Three socio-demographically similar primary schools of a deprived neighborhood in Granada, Spain. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-two intervention and 109 control students aged 5 to 6, as well as the teachers and the parent's association of the intervention school (IS) participated in the study. INTERVENTION: School-based health promotion activities aimed at students, and regular meetings with the teachers and parents of the IS during 2 consecutive years. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: Students' oral health-related knowledge and behavior, assessed via questionnaires distributed before the intervention, and 6 and 18 months afterwards. RESULTS: Compared to the control groups at 18 months, students belonging to the IS reported enhanced oral health knowledge (OR 3.54; 95% CI 1.46-8.58), and an increased consumption of healthy food at breakfast (OR 2.95; 95% CI 1.26-6.89) and during mid-afternoon snack (OR 3.67; 95% CI 1.49-9.05). A significant decrease was seen in the intake of pastries (OR 4.05; 95% CI 1.68-9.81) and sweetened soft drinks and juices (OR 3.79; 95% CI 1.57-9.12) amongst intervention compared to control students in the medium term (18 months). No significant improvements were observed concerning oral hygiene in the IS. CONCLUSIONS: School-based educational interventions, when developed through an intersectoral and participative approach and considering the socio-economic context, appear to be effective in improving students' diet-related knowledge and behaviors.

Atención Primaria y promoción de la salud bucodental: evaluación de una intervención educativa en población infantil / Primary Care and oral health promotion: Assessment of an educational intervention in school children

Objetivo: Evaluar a corto y medio plazo la efectividad de una intervención de promoción de la salud bucodental impulsada desde Atención Primaria. Diseño: Ensayo comunitario de intervención no aleatorizado. Emplazamiento: Tres centros educativos de características sociodemográficas similares de un barrio empobrecido de Granada. Participantes: Participaron en el estudio 82 alumnos de entre 5 y 6 años del colegio intervención (CI) y 109 de los colegios control (CC), así como los profesores y padres/madres de los alumnos del CI. Intervención: Actividades escolares de promoción de la salud bucodental dirigidas a los alumnos, y reuniones periódicas con los profesores y padres/madres del CI durante 2 cursos consecutivos. Mediciones principales: Conocimientos sobre salud bucodental y hábitos higiénico-dietéticos de los alumnos, valorados mediante cuestionarios distribuidos antes de la intervención y transcurridos 6 y 18 meses. Resultados: Transcurridos 18 meses, los conocimientos adquiridos fueron significativamente superiores en el CI (OR 3,54; IC 95% 1,46-8,58) en comparación con los CC. El consumo de alimentos saludables aumentó significativamente en el desayuno (OR 2,95; IC 95% 1,26-6,89) y la merienda (OR 3,67; IC 95% 1,49-9,05) y disminuyó el consumo de bollería (OR 4,05; IC 95% 1,68-9,81) y refrescos azucarados (OR 3,79; IC 95% 1,57-9,12) respecto a los CC. No se observaron mejoras en relación con la higiene bucodental en el CI. Conclusiones: Las intervenciones escolares de educación sanitaria, desarrolladas de forma intersectorial, participativa y considerando los contextos socioeconómicos particulares, resultan eficaces en la mejora del conocimiento y los hábitos dietéticos de los alumnos

Objective: To evaluate the short and medium term effectiveness of a Primary Care-driven oral health promotion intervention. Design: A non-randomised community intervention trial. Setting: Three socio-demographically similar primary schools of a deprived neighborhood in Granada, Spain. Participants: Eighty-two intervention and 109 control students aged 5 to 6, as well as the teachers and the parent's association of the intervention school (IS) participated in the study. Intervention: School-based health promotion activities aimed at students, and regular meetings with the teachers and parents of the IS during 2 consecutive years. Main measurements: Students' oral health-related knowledge and behavior, assessed via questionnaires distributed before the intervention, and 6 and 18 months afterwards. Results: Compared to the control groups at 18 months, students belonging to the IS reported enhanced oral health knowledge (OR 3.54; 95% CI 1.46-8.58), and an increased consumption of healthy food at breakfast (OR 2.95; 95% CI 1.26-6.89) and during mid-afternoon snack (OR 3.67; 95% CI 1.49-9.05). A significant decrease was seen in the intake of pastries (OR 4.05; 95% CI 1.68-9.81) and sweetened soft drinks and juices (OR 3.79; 95% CI 1.57-9.12) amongst intervention compared to control students in the medium term (18 months). No significant improvements were observed concerning oral hygiene in the IS. Conclusions: School-based educational interventions, when developed through an intersectoral and participative approach and considering the socio-economic context, appear to be effective in improving students’ diet-related knowledge and behaviors