Diabetes Type 2, Oral Health Behavior Change, Oral Health Knowledge
Conditions
Keywords
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Dental Health Education, Health Belief Model, Digital Health, Social Media
Brief summary
The goal of this Educational interventional study is to test the usefulness of an educational program delivered through WhatsApp videos in increasing oral health knowledge and habits in people with Diabetes between the age of 18 and 65 years. The main question it aims to answer is: Does a WhatsApp-based educational Program improve oral health knowledge and behaviors in people with diabetes, and is it more effective than education delivered through brochures? Participants in one group will receive educational videos through WhatsApp, while the other group receive a brochure containing oral health information. Researchers will then compare the groups to see if the intervention made a difference. Participants will: * Fill a baseline questionnaire to assess their current knowledge and behaviors. * They then either participate in a one-month educational program delivered through WhatsApp, or receive an educational brochure. * Wait for 1 month after the program to allow for application of knowledge. * Fill a post intervention questionnaire to assess changes in knowledge and behavior.
Detailed description
The purpose of this study is to determine whether an educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and delivered through WhatsApp may improve diabetes patients' oral health behaviors and knowledge. This study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two groups: an intervention group (WhatsApp-based education) and a control group (brochure-based education). Adults (18-65 years) with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus from a diabetes clinic in Karachi were recruited. 98 participants (49 in each group) were selected through random allocation. The randomization process ensured that participants are evenly distributed between the groups based on key factors, specifically gender, educational level and duration of diabetes to reduce potential bias from these characteristics. This study was a single blinded study in which participants were not informed about the existence of two distinct groups. The WhatsApp based intervention consisted of 12 short educational videos, each approximately 3 to 5 minutes in duration, these videos were sent individually to each participant every alternate day from Monday to Friday, resulting in three videos per week over a period of one month, Reminders were sent the following day after each video to encourage engagement and sustain behavior change. Each week was focused on specific HBM constructs delivered through short, professionally scripted educational videos in Urdu. Each week was focused on specific HBM constructs. The control group received only an educational brochure. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate participants' knowledge and oral hygiene practices at two points: baseline (before intervention) and one-month post-intervention. The questionnaire was designed to measure HBM constructs (e.g. perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy), awareness of oral care and oral hygiene related behaviors. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 27.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALHealth Belief Model (HBM) Based WhatsApp Oral Health Education Program
The program includes short educational videos, weekly thematic content, reminders, and behavior-reinforcement messages aimed at enhancing oral health knowledge, HBM constructs, and oral hygiene behaviors among individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
BEHAVIORALEducational Brochure Group
The Educational brochure provides information on the relationship between Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and oral health and recommended oral hygiene practices. No WhatsApp based videos are provided during the study period
Sponsors
Dow University of Health Sciences
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
This study was single blinded in which participants were not informed about the presence of two distinct groups; they were only aware about receiving education related to oral health.
Intervention model description
Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group, following a 1:1 allocation ratio. The randomization process was stratified based on three key characteristics including gender, educational level, and duration of diabetes, to ensure balanced distribution and to minimize potential bias. Randomization was conducted using random number generator where each participant was assigned a random number, then participants were allocated equally into either Intervention Group which received HBM based education via WhatsApp or control Group which received an educational brochure.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Adults aged 18-65 years with a confirmed diagnosis of T2DM * Able to use WhatsApp for the study duration * Able to read and write in Urdu
Exclusion criteria
* Edentulous * Individuals diagnosed with life-threatening diseases such as advanced cancer, end-stage renal disease, or severe cardiac failure * Diminished cognitive ability * Radiotherapy in head and neck region. * Planning to migrate during the study period.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Health Knowledge Score | Baseline and 4 weeks after intervention | The participant's knowledge about the relationship between diabetes and oral health issues, will be assessed through a structured Questionnaire consisting of 10 binary items. (Yes = 1, No = 0). A total knowledge score ranging from 0 to 10 will be calculated by summing item responses, with higher scores indicating greater oral health knowledge. Pre- and post-knowledge scores will be compared, and cutoff scores will be calculated using the mean and Standard Deviation. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Health Belief Model Construct Scores | Baseline and 4 weeks after intervention | Health Belief Model constructs, including perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action, will be assessed using a structured Questionnaire. Items will be measured on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Separate construct scores will be calculated by summing item responses within each domain, with higher scores indicating stronger beliefs or perceptions related to oral health behaviors. |
| Oral Hygiene Behavior Score | Baseline and 4 weeks after intervention | Participants' reported frequency and quality of oral health practices, including brushing, flossing, gingival health, and dental visits will be measured on a scale of 0(never) to 4(always) using a structured questionnaire. Higher scores indicate better oral hygiene-related behaviors. Pre- and post-intervention scores will be compared, and cutoff levels will be determined using the mean and standard deviation(SD). |
Countries
Pakistan
Outcome results
None listed