Oral Health Literacy and Its Correlation with Socioeconomic Status in an Iranian Population

Background and Aim:This study aimed to assess the oral health literacy (OHL) and its correlation with socioeconomic status (SES) in residents of Zanjan city, Iran by introducing a new questionnaire for this purpose.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,513 individuals residing in Zanjan city, Iran, in 2019.The demographic information, OHL, and SES of the participants were evaluated by using relevant questionnaires.The reliability of the questionnaire designed for assessment of OHL was evaluated by calculation of the intra-class correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha, while its validity was assessed by calculation of content validity index and content validity ratio.Data were analyzed by the Chi-square test and one-way ANOVA (alpha=0.05).Results: Data of 1,513 individuals with a mean age of 33.3±9.93 years were analyzed, including 59.6% males and 40.4% females.The Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation coefficient were found to be 0.71 and 0.81, respectively.OHL was inadequate in 29.1%, marginal in 37.4%, and adequate in 33.4% of the participants.The mean level of OHL of females was higher than males.Those with low SES had low OHL and this correlation was statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion:The OHL of the study population was moderate.Since there is no specific practical method for enhancement of OHL of the general population, educational OHL programs are recommended with particular attention to older individuals and those with lower SES.