Assessment of the level of knowledge of Nigerian undergraduates on periodontal diseases

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of undergraduate students of a Nigerian University on the etiology, associated risk factors, prevention, and treatment of periodontal diseases. Methodology: A 38-item self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the study participants' personal data, source of oral health information, and level of knowledge on issues relating to etiology, associated risk factors, prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases. The responses were based on a 5-item Likert scale. Chi-square test was used to identify significant relationships and differences between participants' level of awareness and demographic factors such as age, gender, course, and level of study. Results: More of the undergraduates studied (52.8%) were within the 20–25 years of age group, 50.7% were male, 69.4% were studying science-based courses, 76.9% rated their level of information on periodontal diseases as inadequate and 89.5% were rated to have inappropriate knowledge on periodontal disease. Internet was the respondents' most utilized source of information on periodontal diseases. The appropriateness of the respondents' knowledge on periodontal diseases was not dependent on their gender, age group, and nature of course of the study or the year of the study. However, only 18.6% of respondents who claimed to have adequate information on periodontal disease had appropriate knowledge of periodontal diseases, while fewer persons (8.0%) in the group who claimed to have inadequate information had appropriate knowledge (P = 0.005). Conclusion: It can be concluded that a few of the undergraduate students of the Nigerian University studied have inappropriate knowledge on the etiology, associated risk factors, prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases.

Keywords

• knowledge
• periodontal diseases
• undergraduate