The effect of training interventions on the psychological factors of oral health in pregnant women

Background and aim: Oral health is crucial for high-risk pregnant women in order to preserve their health and the health of their infants. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the impact of training programs on the behavior of pregnant mothers concerning oral health in Khorramabad, Iran. Methods: This is an educational experimental study carried out in 2015 on 164 pregnant women referring to health centers in the city of Khorramabad who were randomly divided into two groups (each n=82). The instruments for data collection included a questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model regarding oral health and two checklists of oral health indexes (OHIS and DMFT). Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 via paired- samples t-test, independent-samples t-test and Chi-square. Results: The mean score of knowledge and performance, and the variables of the components of the Health Belief Model including the perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers and self-efficacy regarding the oral health care, significantly increased in the intervention group following the training intervention (p