Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for Adolescents
Increasing autonomy and potential engagement in risky health behaviors during adolescence creates a critical time for oral health and nutrition health promotion. A Social Cognitive Theory-based oral health promotion program was developed and piloted in an under-resourced urban high school. The progr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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New Prairie Press
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Health Behavior Research |
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| Online Access: | https://newprairiepress.org/hbr/vol7/iss4/1/ |
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| _version_ | 1850120315014742016 |
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| author | Allison N. Marshall Kiana M. Jenkins Carlos G. Fuentes Dylan Tran Karen N. Mejia Maja Djukic Rahma Mungia Alexander Testa Flor Alvarado Daphne C. Hernandez |
| author_facet | Allison N. Marshall Kiana M. Jenkins Carlos G. Fuentes Dylan Tran Karen N. Mejia Maja Djukic Rahma Mungia Alexander Testa Flor Alvarado Daphne C. Hernandez |
| author_sort | Allison N. Marshall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Increasing autonomy and potential engagement in risky health behaviors during adolescence creates a critical time for oral health and nutrition health promotion. A Social Cognitive Theory-based oral health promotion program was developed and piloted in an under-resourced urban high school. The program was designed to improve health literacy regarding oral health, nutrition, and risky health behaviors that influence oral health through didactic lessons and interactive in-class group activities. In this pilot study, twenty-four students participated and completed both pre-/post-program surveys (mean age=15.6 years [SD=0.97], 63% female; 75% Black; 46% food insecure). Over one-third (38%) of students had not visited a dentist in the past year (67% male; 56% Black, 44% food insecure). While health literacy slightly increased from pre- to post-program, the increase was not significant. The limited positive findings may be related to small sample size in this pilot, as well as implementation challenges that occurred: lack of partnership buy-in, turnover and vacancies, scheduling conflicts, low attendance, and available but inaccessible dental care. Lessons learned from the challenges can inform future program planning and implementation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ffbb76846983470ca27ab297ddfd07f5 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2572-1836 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | New Prairie Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Behavior Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-ffbb76846983470ca27ab297ddfd07f52025-08-20T02:35:22ZengNew Prairie PressHealth Behavior Research2572-18362024-12-017410.4148/2572-1836.1255Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for AdolescentsAllison N. MarshallKiana M. JenkinsCarlos G. FuentesDylan TranKaren N. MejiaMaja DjukicRahma MungiaAlexander TestaFlor AlvaradoDaphne C. HernandezIncreasing autonomy and potential engagement in risky health behaviors during adolescence creates a critical time for oral health and nutrition health promotion. A Social Cognitive Theory-based oral health promotion program was developed and piloted in an under-resourced urban high school. The program was designed to improve health literacy regarding oral health, nutrition, and risky health behaviors that influence oral health through didactic lessons and interactive in-class group activities. In this pilot study, twenty-four students participated and completed both pre-/post-program surveys (mean age=15.6 years [SD=0.97], 63% female; 75% Black; 46% food insecure). Over one-third (38%) of students had not visited a dentist in the past year (67% male; 56% Black, 44% food insecure). While health literacy slightly increased from pre- to post-program, the increase was not significant. The limited positive findings may be related to small sample size in this pilot, as well as implementation challenges that occurred: lack of partnership buy-in, turnover and vacancies, scheduling conflicts, low attendance, and available but inaccessible dental care. Lessons learned from the challenges can inform future program planning and implementation.https://newprairiepress.org/hbr/vol7/iss4/1/adolescentschool-basedsocial cognitive theorycommunityoral healthnutrition |
| spellingShingle | Allison N. Marshall Kiana M. Jenkins Carlos G. Fuentes Dylan Tran Karen N. Mejia Maja Djukic Rahma Mungia Alexander Testa Flor Alvarado Daphne C. Hernandez Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for Adolescents Health Behavior Research adolescent school-based social cognitive theory community oral health nutrition |
| title | Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for Adolescents |
| title_full | Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for Adolescents |
| title_fullStr | Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for Adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for Adolescents |
| title_short | Nourishing Smiles: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Implementing an Interprofessional School-based Oral Health and Nutrition Literacy Program for Adolescents |
| title_sort | nourishing smiles challenges and lessons learned from implementing an interprofessional school based oral health and nutrition literacy program for adolescents |
| topic | adolescent school-based social cognitive theory community oral health nutrition |
| url | https://newprairiepress.org/hbr/vol7/iss4/1/ |
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