Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Qatari People
type: CreativeWork
description: The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Qatari people. The convenience sample consisted of 859 Qatari people between the ages of 18-72 from Hamad Medical Corporation Dental Department, Public Dental Health Care Centres, University of Qatar, Police and Army Departments, governmental schools, a private dental clinic, and citizens. Participants were asked to complete a self-designed questionnaire titled Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Qatari People. Prior to the study, 20 Arab college students responded to the questionnaire in a test-retest procedure to establish instrument reliability. The content validity of the questionnaire was established by a panel of dental hygiene experts at Old Dominion University. Questionnaire data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, the chi-square test of independence, and the analysis of residual test. Findings revealed that 74.4% of the respondents visit a dental clinic for dental cleanings, but of this number, 62.2% did not receive any toothbrushing instructions; and 63.2% did not receive flossing instructions. Forty-eight point eight percent visit the dental hygienist or dentist when they experience pain and the majority (61.8%) brush more than once a day. Most of the respondents arrive late for dental care because of other commitments. The majority of respondents willingly accepted oral hygiene instructions given at each dental visit, demonstrate their home care technique to the dentist or dental hygienist, cooperate in an oral hygiene evaluation of their mouths at each dental appointment, and return for professional teeth cleaning appointments if necessary. Almost half of the respondents (46.9%) feel embarrassed when told that their oral hygiene needs improvement, or when they (38.2%) need to learn oral hygiene techniques from a professional of the opposite gender. Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant association amon…
abstract: The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Qatari people. The convenience sample consisted of 859 Qatari people between the ages of 18-72 from Hamad Medical Corporation Dental Department, Public Dental Health Care Centres, University of Qatar, Police and Army Departments, governmental schools, a private dental clinic, and citizens. Participants were asked to complete a self-designed questionnaire titled Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Qatari People. Prior to the study, 20 Arab college students responded to the questionnaire in a test-retest procedure to establish instrument reliability. The content validity of the questionnaire was established by a panel of dental hygiene experts at Old Dominion University. Questionnaire data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, the chi-square test of independence, and the analysis of residual test. Findings revealed that 74.4% of the respondents visit a dental clinic for dental cleanings, but of this number, 62.2% did not receive any toothbrushing instructions; and 63.2% did not receive flossing instructions. Forty-eight point eight percent visit the dental hygienist or dentist when they experience pain and the majority (61.8%) brush more than once a day. Most of the respondents arrive late for dental care because of other commitments. The majority of respondents willingly accepted oral hygiene instructions given at each dental visit, demonstrate their home care technique to the dentist or dental hygienist, cooperate in an oral hygiene evaluation of their mouths at each dental appointment, and return for professional teeth cleaning appointments if necessary. Almost half of the respondents (46.9%) feel embarrassed when told that their oral hygiene needs improvement, or when they (38.2%) need to learn oral hygiene techniques from a professional of the opposite gender. Chi-square analysis revealed a statistically significant association amon…
author: Al-Salahi, Najat Abdrabbo J. Saleh
keywords: Qatar, Oral health, Attitudes, Dental hygiene, Healthcare training, Dental Public Health and Education
date published: 1998-07-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T03:33:54Z
provider: Old Dominion University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Old Dominion University