No description available.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1980. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-51). Also issued in print.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1980. / Typescript (photocopy). eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-51).

No description available.

Northern Ireland (NI) has the poorest levels of oral health in the United Kingdom (UK) with its children having the highest levels of tooth decay in Europe (Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety; DHSSPS, 2007). The Oral Health Strategy for Northern Ireland (DHSSPS, 2007) emphasises the need to address these problems, yet there is a lack of research investigating the determinants of young people's toothbrushing behaviour. This study sought to address this research gap by investigating young peoples attitudes and motivations for brushing their teeth. To achieve this aim a mixed-methods sequential research design was employed, with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) providing the theoretical framework for each of the research stages. In stage one, an elicitation study adopting focus group methodology was conducted to elicit the modal salient beliefs of the target behaviour. These beliefs were then used to inform the development of items contained within the TPB questionnaire. In stage two, the research sought to confirm suitability of the questionnaire measure for use with the target group, schoolchildren aged 9-10 years. Test-retest methodology was employed to explore the psychometric properties of each scale. In stage three, the study investigated the theoretical factors influencing toothbrushing intentions and behaviour among 867 schoolchildren. Participation in the research study was recruited using randomised and stratified sampling techniques. Overall, the findings provide support for the theoretical model of the TPB and highlight the key theoretical constructs in predicting intentions to brush teeth among schoolchildren, namely self-efficacy, attitude and subjective norm. They have also elucidated the relative importance of the factors that are influential in affecting childrens motivations and decisions to brush their teeth. Furthermore, the study has highlighted the important contribution of other variables affecting childrens toothbrushing behaviour such as, various risk factors can impinge upon their toothbrushing routine, including tiredness, laziness, memory and issues related to resources (e.g. types of toothpaste and texture of toothbrush). This study undoubtedly provides support for the theoretical model of the TPB. The questionnaire measure was found to be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing toothbrushing beliefs of schoolchildren, suggesting that the theory is applicable for use with a child population. The findings from this study could be of use to those interested in designing interventions to reduce Nl's oral health problem and given the theoretical framework, identify those factors which influence toothbrushing behaviour amongst a particularly at-risk group. It is hoped that the research will make a valid contribution to the TPB-based literature and also serve as a possible framework for other health psychologists interested in this topic.

No description available.

Higher Education is influenced by society and workplace demands, which affects the structure of curricula. The literature review exposed a lack of understanding of knowledge in the Oral Hygiene occupational field. This led to a call to understand which knowledge is most valued by the Oral Hygienist and how it affects professional development. This necessitated the examination of knowledge located in curricula. The aim of this study was to study the perceptions of South African Oral Hygiene lecturers and the organisation of knowledge in curricula, in order to learn about current attempts to professionalise the field. The study makes use of a qualitative descriptive design. The study population is based at two universities, consisted of full-time lecturers teaching Oral Hygiene. Data collection and analysis comprised three methods: semi-structured questionnaires to examine the lecturers’ perceptions about knowledge; curriculum analysis gathering information about the curricula making use of a knowledge type analysis tool developed from the conceptual framework; and examination question analysis to assess the recontextualisation of knowledge from concepts or everyday knowledge of practice. The results show a comparison of lecturers’ perceptions and the organisation of knowledge in the curriculum suggest that although it is clear that the lecturers aspire to professionalise the field, the curricula and their own research identities promote the preparation of practitioners with technical skills. This is shown (inter alia) in the following findings about both curricula: ‘clinical applied knowledge’ is highly valued (UNIV1-73% and UNIV2-53%) with a small amount of time spent on ‘pure’ knowledge (UNIV1-8% and UNIV2-12%). The point to be made here is, that an emphasis on ‘Clinical Applied knowledge’ suggests that a large amount of time is spent on covering procedures for practice, which in turn is an indication that the two curricula are inclined towards preparing students for an occupational model of practice. The lecturers’ research identity focuses on knowledge borrowed from clinical practice. Lecturers use a unifying concept for practice and believe they are experts in clinical teaching. In conclusion, examining South African lecturers’ current views of the Oral Hygiene knowledge base and studying its organisation within different curricula reveal that the knowledge most valued in the field is Clinical Applied knowledge with less emphasis on pure knowledge and knowledge applied from the sciences. This study highlights that lecturers aspire to professionalise the field, even though curricula promote the preparation of practitioners with technical skills.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1970.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1970.