Factors Influencing Oral Care Behavior in The Elderly Banruan Subdistrict, Pasang District, Lamphun Province

Abstract

Good oral health is essential for overall physical well-being and the quality of life among the elderly. This cross-sectional analytical study aimed to investigate the factors associated with oral health care behavior among elderly individuals residing in Banruan Subdistrict, Pasang District, Lamphun Province. The study sample consisted of 285 elderly participants. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient ranging from 0.73 to 0.80. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze general characteristics and levels of behavior, while Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to examine associations between variables at a significance level of 0.05. The findings revealed that a majority of participants (84.91%) exhibited good oral health care behavior. The overall level of oral health literacy was found to be sufficient (82.81%). The factors significantly associated with oral health behavior included the presence of underlying diseases, oral health knowledge, oral health self-management skills, access to oral health information and services, perceived susceptibility to oral health problems, and social support (p<0.05). These 6 variables collectively explained 39.5% of the variance in oral health care behavior among older adults, as analyzed by multiple regression analysis. In conclusion, key factors influencing oral health care behavior included underlying health conditions, components of oral health literacy, access to oral health services, perceived susceptibility to oral health problems, and social support. To promote better oral health behavior among the elderly, health administrators and dental health professionals should focus on enhancing oral health literacy and strengthening the perception of susceptibility to oral health problems.