Association between seeking oral health information online and knowledge in adults with spinal cord injury: A pilot study

Abstract

Objective

To characterize adults with spinal cord injury (SCI) who seek oral health information online, and investigate whether seeking oral health information online is associated with oral health knowledge and behaviors.

Methods

An online oral health survey was posted on the South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association website. Respondents were 192 adult residents of the US ages 19–83 years who identified themselves as having SCI occurring at least 1 year before the survey date.

Results

About 12% (n = 23) of the respondents searched oral health information online in the past 12 months. Significant associations between the proportion of respondents who searched for oral health information online and socio-demographic and the proportion of respondents who engaged in various oral health behaviors were not detected. However, multivariable logistic regression indicated that respondents who searched oral health information online in the past 12 months have 3.4 times the odds of possessing adequate oral health knowledge compared to respondents who did not search oral health information online (adjusted odds ratio = 3.41, 95% confidence interval = 1.35, 8.62, P = 0.01).

Conclusions

Given the significant association between seeking oral health information online and adequate oral health knowledge, this study suggests that online oral health information may be a potential avenue for dental health professionals to supplement oral health education in adults with SCI.

Keywords:

• Spinal cord injuries
• Oral health
• Prevention
• Patient education
• Internet

Acknowledgements

The authors thank dentists: Drs Carlos F Salinas, Susan G Reed, and Renata Leite, and dental hygienists: Pemra Hudson, Lisa Summerlin, for their valuable suggestions on the content of the oral health knowledge questions; and Dr Laura K Vogtle for her input. The authors appreciate the support from South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association. This study was completed with support from the South Carolina Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) for Oral Health with funding provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) with (P20 RR-017696). The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIH.