The Effectiveness of Gain- Versus Loss-framed Health Messages to Improve Oral Health Among Iranian Adolescents

The Effectiveness of Gain- Versus Loss-framed Health Messages to Improve Oral Health Among Iranian Adolescents:A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study explores the effectiveness of message framing, loss-framed vs. gain-framed messages on oral health in Iran.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Health Behavior
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Framing (Loss-framed messages); Behavioral: Framing (Gain-framed messages)

Detailed Description

This is a study to explore the impact of two pamphlets with gain-framed and loss-framed messages on brushing and flossing attitudes, intentions , behaviors and clinical characteristics among a sample of adolescent students.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 372
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Qazvin, Iran, Islamic Republic of
    • The Organization for Education

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years to 19 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• They are not involved in the oral health education
• Ability to understand Persian language Adolescents attending high schools in Qazvin

Exclusion Criteria:

• Does not meet inclusion criteria

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Loss-framed messages	Behavioral: Framing (Loss-framed messages); The adolescents will randomly assign to three groups: gain-framed message , loss- framed message and a control group. Each group of adolescents will read the respective pamphlets with the exception of the control group. The loss-framed pamphlet contains six negative messages with three related full-color images (6.1 X 4.5). The loss-framed pamphlet, entitled The disadvantages of poor oral hygiene, emphasizes the costs of not brushing and flossing.
Experimental: gain-framed messages; Adolescents will randomly assign to three groups: gain-framed message , loss-framed message and a control group. Each group of adolescents will read the respective pamphlets with the exception of the control group. The gain-framed pamphlet contains six positive messages with three related full-color images (6.1 X 4.5). The gain-framed pamphlet, entitled The Benefits of good oral hygiene", emphasizes the benefits of brushing, and flossing.	Behavioral: Framing (Gain-framed messages); The adolescents will randomly assign to three groups: gain-framed message and loss- framed message. Each group of adolescents will read the respective pamphlets with the exception of the control group. The gain-framed pamphlet contains six positive messages with three related full-color images(6.1 X 4.5). The gain-framed pamphlet, entitled The Benefits of good oral hygiene", emphasizes the benefits of brushing, and flossing.; Other Names: designing persuasive messages

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
changes in frequencies of dental brushing and flossing	changes from baseline, two weeks after the intervention and six months follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Changes in psychological predictors of dental brushing (attitude, intention).	changes from baseline, two weeks after the intervention and six months follow-up
Changes in Community Periodontal Index (CPI)	changes from baseline, two weeks after the intervention and six months follow-up
Changes in Turesky Modification of the Quigley-Hein Plaque Index	changes from baseline, two weeks after the intervention and six months follow-up
Oral health related quality of life	changes from baseline and six months follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Qazvin University Of Medical Sciences
• Investigators: Study Chair: Amir H Pakpour, PhD, Qazvin university medical of sciences

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Pakpour AH, Yekaninejad MS, Sniehotta FF, Updegraff JA, Dombrowski SU. The effectiveness of gain-versus loss-framed health messages in improving oral health in Iranian secondary schools: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Ann Behav Med. 2014 Jun;47(3):376-87. doi: 10.1007/s12160-013-9543-1.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 12, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 19, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): August 22, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): March 6, 2012
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 4, 2012
• Last Verified: March 1, 2012

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: oral health; dental brushing; dental flossing
• Other Study ID Numbers: ACTRN12611000885998