Motherhood and health 2.0: associations between digital health literacy, access to prenatal dental care, and online information seeking

• Grant number: 24/17551-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Luiz Mialhe
• Grantee: João Paulo Santana da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Currently, the internet is one of the most widely used sources for seeking health information, including among pregnant women. However, there is still a lack of studies evaluating associations between digital health literacy and dental outcomes during pregnancy. In this context, the overall objective of this research project is to investigate associations between digital health literacy, access to prenatal dental care, and online health information-seeking among pregnant women served in Family Health Units (USFs). To achieve this, three studies will be conducted: (1) a scoping review to explore the relationship between digital health literacy (DHL) and oral health self-care during pregnancy; (2) a cross-sectional study to assess associations between online oral health information-seeking behavior during pregnancy and the following predictor variables: DHL, profile of oral health information-seeking behavior online, and sociodemographic factors; and (3) a cross-sectional study to investigate the relationship between dental visits and the predictor variables: need for dental treatment, self-perceived oral health, access to information, and sociodemographic characteristics. The first study will be conducted in databases such as MEDLINE, CINHAL, Web of Science, and Lilacs, using descriptors like "Pregnant," "Digital Health," and "Health Literacy." Studies 2 and 3 will include a convenience probabilistic sample of pregnant women attending USFs in the municipality of Piracicaba, SP, who will respond to questionnaires containing sociodemographic information, a question about the use of the internet to search for information on oral health care during pregnancy, the DHL instrument HLS19-DIGI, and questions about the profile of online oral health information-seeking behavior. Data analysis will be carried out through descriptive statistics and logistic regressions.