Publication: Mobile application gigiku sihat to improve dietary habit and oral hygiene among children aged 4 to 6 years and dietary and oral health knowledge, attitude and practice among parents: a community intervention study in Kelantan
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Date
2025-04
Authors
Zulkefle, Rumaisa’
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Abstract
Maintaining good oral health in children involves a combination level of parental knowledge, attitude, and persistent behavioral routines towards children’s nutrient and oral health. The ability of smartphone to overcome barriers in conventional education method is needed since more parents depend on it nowadays. In order to improve dietary habits and oral health, app of Gigiku Sihat (GS) was developed targeted to parents of preschool children. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mHealth apps Gigiku Sihat for improving dietary habits and oral health among 4- to 6-year-olds children at KEMAS preschool in Tumpat and Pasir Mas, Kelantan and their parents’ nutrition and oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP). A cluster randomized trial was done. During the study period, participants in the intervention group (IG) used GS installed in their mobile device, while the control group (CG) received TIP TOP which was delivered once during the first visit. The sample size was 60 for each IG and CG. Primary outcome measures including parental nutrition and oral health KAP and children’s cariogenic food frequency (CFF) were evaluated through validated self-administered questionnaires, and OH status was determined through clinical examination using Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). Measurement of variables were done at baseline, 4- (Evaluation 1) and 8-weeks (Evaluation 2) post-intervention. Descriptive analysis, independent t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA were performed with significance level set at p<0.05. A total of 116 parent-child pairs (IG:56, CG:60) completed the study. Both groups have more girls compared to boys. Majority of parents in both groups aged 30-39 years old (IG:73.2%, CG:53.3%); had finished secondary school as their highest education level (IG:48.2%, CG:66.7%); were housewife or not working (IG:41.1%, CG:68.3%); had less than 6 family members (IG:62.5%, CG:55%) and had monthly household income of RM1,000 - RM1,999 (IG: 32.1%, CG:45.0%). Most of parents in IG (35.7%) had spent RM500-RM599 monthly for food, while most of parents in CG (31.7%) had monthly expenditure of RM700-RM799. The main water supply for both groups was from AKSB (pipe water) (IG:69.6%, CG:73.3%). At Evaluation 1, IG showed significantly lower mean CFF score in the categories of biscuits (p=0.017), crisps (p=0.024, 0.003), soya bean-based milk (p=0.007) and sugared drinks /condensed milk (p=0.042). At Evaluation 2, significantly lower mean CFF scores was also observed in IG for traditional kuih (p=0.006), chocolate (p<0.001), crisps (p=0.003), sweets (p=0.047), processed fruits (p=0.002), soya bean-based milk (p<0.001) and sugared drinks /condensed milk (p=0.004). There was a significantly lower OHI-S score (p=0.023) and higher attitude score (p=0.041) at Evaluation 2 in IG as compared to CG. There was no significant difference in parental knowledge and practice scores between the IG and CG. GS was effective in improving parental attitude score, children’s oral health, as well as some categories of CFF of the preschool children. Mobile application, dietary habits, oral hygiene, KAP, preschool and parents.