Knowledge of oral health, health literacy, and oral-health behaviors among pharmacy students in Japan
- 1Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Division of Applied Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hoshi University, 2-4-41 Ebara, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 142-8501 Japan
- 2Department of Medical Communication, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan
- 3Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, Hokkaido, Japan
Abstract
Background: Community pharmacies are expected to play a role in oral health promotion and disease prevention. However, knowledge of oral health and oral-health behaviors among Japanese pharmacy students remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of oral care (OC) and health literacy (HL) among Japanese pharmacy students and to identify factors associated with their preventive dental visits.
Methods: Pharmacy students at Hoshi University were enrolled. Questions from the Oral Care Ambassador certification textbook were selected to assess knowledge regarding 13 broad domains. HL was assessed using the short version of the European HL Survey Questionnaire. A logistic regression model was constructed using preventive dental visits as the outcome variable.
Results: The proportion of students with knowledge regarding assistance and home healthcare for OC and dysphagia/rehabilitation was small, and the scores were low on several practical HL items. Students who preventively visited a dentist showed significantly higher rates of dental floss and interdental brush use compared to those who did not.
Conclusions: This study suggests that pharmacy students before clinical practice may lack knowledge of home healthcare and dysphagia/rehabilitation of OC, and that their practical HL skills in clinical settings are low. These findings may provide insights for addressing challenges in the teaching methods for OC and HL among pharmacy students in the future.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-026-00614-x.
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BibTeX
@article{sunaga2026knowledge,
title = {{Knowledge of oral health, health literacy, and oral-health behaviors among pharmacy students in Japan}},
author = {Tomiko Sunaga and Rie Yokota and Tomofumi Watanabe and Wataru Sakurada and Hiroyuki Terakado},
journal = {Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s40780-026-00614-x},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-026-00614-x},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Knowledge of oral health, health literacy, and oral-health behaviors among pharmacy students in Japan
AU - Tomiko Sunaga
AU - Rie Yokota
AU - Tomofumi Watanabe
AU - Wataru Sakurada
AU - Hiroyuki Terakado
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/31
JO - Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Care and Sciences
DO - 10.1186/s40780-026-00614-x
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-026-00614-x
AB - Background: Community pharmacies are expected to play a role in oral health promotion and disease prevention. However, knowledge of oral health and oral-health behaviors among Japanese pharmacy students remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of oral care (OC) and health literacy (HL) among Japanese pharmacy students and to identify factors associated with their preventive dental visits. Methods: Pharmacy students at Hoshi University were enrolled. Questions from the Oral Care Ambassador certification textbook were selected to assess knowledge regarding 13 broad domains. HL was assessed using the short version of the European HL Survey Questionnaire. A logistic regression model was constructed using preventive dental visits as the outcome variable. Results: The proportion of students with knowledge regarding assistance and home healthcare for OC and dysphagia/rehabilitation was small, and the scores were low on several practical HL items. Students who preventively visited a dentist showed significantly higher rates of dental floss and interdental brush use compared to those who did not. Conclusions: This study suggests that pharmacy students before clinical practice may lack knowledge of home healthcare and dysphagia/rehabilitation of OC, and that their practical HL skills in clinical settings are low. These findings may provide insights for addressing challenges in the teaching methods for OC and HL among pharmacy students in the future. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s40780-026-00614-x.
SN - 2055-0294
ER -