Health Belief Model and Social Support in Shaping Intentions for Oral Health Examinations

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Behavior
• Oral Health

Background:

• Oral diseases affect billions globally, yet are largely preventable.
• Many individuals do not seek regular oral health examinations (OHEs) due to cost and lack of awareness.
• Understanding factors influencing OHE intention is vital for promoting preventive oral care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing individuals' intention to undergo OHE.
• To apply the Health Belief Model (HBM) and social support theory to predict OHE intention.
• To identify key predictors of preventive oral care seeking behavior.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional survey of 807 participants in Minhang District (January 2024).
• Assessed sociodemographic characteristics, health beliefs (HBM), and perceived social support.
• Used exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical multiple regression to identify predictors of OHE intention.

Main Results:

• Sociodemographic factors (gender, education, income, insurance) significantly influenced OHE intention.
• Perceived benefits, barriers, cues to action, and family social support emerged as key predictors.
• The integrated HBM and social support model effectively explained intention to undergo OHE.

Conclusions:

• Raising awareness, reducing barriers, and leveraging family support can encourage preventive oral care.
• Integrating OHEs into routine health examinations is recommended for institutional support.
• Findings underscore the importance of a multi-faceted approach to improve oral health examination uptake.