한국치위생학회

Evaluation of oral hygiene status in children of North Korea refugees families

So-Yeong Kim¹ Seong-Woo Choi^1,*

Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University

Abstract

This study was conducted to identify the oral hygiene status of children and adolescents from North Korean (NK) refugee families residing in South Korea (SK) and to find ways to improve it. This study examined 88 children in NK refugee families. Their oral hygiene ability were estimated using the Patient Hygiene Performance (PHP)-index for children. The Independent Samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were conducted on the oral hygiene status according to the characteristics of children of NK refugees, and covariance analysis was conducted by controlling for significant variables in the simple analysis. Statistical significance levels were set at than p<0.05. The overall PHP-index of normal, poor, and severe poor were 14.8%, 5.7%, and 79.5%, respectively. Adjusted for sex, age, country of birth, duration of settlement, covariance analysis was performed to determine the PHP-index according to oral examination. PHP-index was 3.55±1.56 when the oral examination was conducted and 4.26±0.98 when the oral examination was not conducted; this difference was significantly (p=0.022). Children and from NK refugee families have severely poor oral hygiene. Therefore, education to improve the oral hygiene status is necessary.

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1. Subject oral health and PHP-index grade of children from NK refugees families