Associations between adolescents’ oral health and health literacy, gender and family affluence: perspective of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study data from Slovakia and Poland

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61989592%3A15510%2F25%3A73632610" target="_blank" >RIV/61989592:15510/25:73632610 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603356/full" target="_blank" >https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603356/full</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603356" target="_blank" >10.3389/fpubh.2025.1603356</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Associations between adolescents’ oral health and health literacy, gender and family affluence: perspective of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study data from Slovakia and Poland

Original language description

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the association between oral health and health literacy, gender, age, family affluence and country of origin amongst adolescents from Slovakia and Poland, using data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study.Methods: We analysed data from the cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study conducted in 2022 on a representative sample of 6,289 Slovak and Polish 13- and 15-year old adolescents (mean age 14.48; SD = 1.01; 50.5% boys). Data was collected through self-administered online questionnaires completed by respondents in schools during classes. Binomial logistic regression models were used to assess associations between oral health and health literacy, gender, age, family affluence and country of origin amongst adolescents from Slovakia and Poland.Results: The results indicate that boys (odds ratio/95% confidence interval OR/95% CI 0.431/0.381–0.489) are substantially less likely to engage in regular toothbrushing compared to girls, highlighting a persistent gender disparity in oral hygiene behaviour. Additionally, lower socioeconomic status, as measured by family affluence, is associated with a decreased likelihood of frequent toothbrushing (OR/95% CI 0.486/0.399–0.592 for low family affluence; OR/95% CI 0.761/0.647–0.895 for medium family affluence). Similarly, health literacy emerges as a key determinant, with adolescents exhibiting lower health literacy levels demonstrating significantly reduced engagement in regular toothbrushing (OR/95% CI 0.475/0.384–0.587 for low health literacy; OR/95% CI 0.666/0.550–0.808 for medium health literacy).Conclusion: This study highlights the significant impact of gender, family affluence and health literacy on toothbrushing frequency amongst adolescents in Poland and Slovakia. The findings underscore the need for targeted oral health promotion strategies that consider gender differences, socioeconomic inequalities and the importance of health literacy in improving oral hygiene practises amongst adolescents.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

30304 - Public and environmental health

Project

—

Continuities

O - Projekt operacniho programu

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Frontiers in Public Health

ISSN

2296-2565

e-ISSN

2296-2565

Volume of the periodical

13

Issue of the periodical within the volume

19.11.2025

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

9

Pages from-to

1-9

UT code for WoS article

001629537700001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105023904712