Modelling the factors influencing general and oral hygiene behaviours in adolescents

Background. Health behaviour models have been mainly used to explain indicators and the development of hygiene behaviours. However, health behaviour models do not explain and predict general and oral hygiene behaviours. Aim. To develop and test a theoretical model of the factors influencing oral and general hygiene behaviours in male and female adolescents in Mashhad, Iran. Design. A representative stratified random sample of 1132 6th grade Iranian students in Mashhad, with an average age of 12.4 (SD = 0.8) years, answered a 37-item questionnaire. The questionnaire had items on socio-demographic characteristics, education achievement and future aspiration, Sense of Coherence, toothbrushing frequency, frequency of showering and changing underwear, and peer social networks. Confirmatory structural equation modelling was used to test the validity of the model in the whole sample and among two sexes separately. Results. All measurement models fitted the data. Significant correlations among latent variables were observed. Fit indices indicated good representation of the data in the whole sample. Goodness-of-fit statistics were significant among the two sexes. Conclusions. The proposed theoretical model of the factors influencing general and oral hygiene behaviours in adolescents was valid. Further studies should further investigate the properties of this model in different populations.