Locus of control beliefs predicting oral and diabetes health behavior and health status

Our study evaluates the correlation between dental and diabetes locus of co ntrol beliefs and the potentiality of locus of control beliefs in predictin g oral health behavior, dental status, diabetes compliance, and HbA(1c), le vel by using situation-specific locus of control scales and considering the value dimension. Data were collected by means of a quantitative questionna ire, a clinical oral examination and patient records. The research populati on comprised 149 insulin-dependent diabetics who had teeth of their own. Va riables were the frequencies of tooth brushing and dental visiting, oral in dexes, diabetes adherence, and HbA(1c) level. Dental and diabetes locus of control beliefs correlated with each other. Dental locus of control associa ted with frequency of dental visiting, plaque index, decayed surfaces, and with root caries, but diabetes locus of control associated only weakly with adherence with diabetes self-care regimens and not at all with HbA(1c) lev el. Correlations between dental locus of control and oral indexes were stro nger among those having high value for dental care. Although there were cor relations between dental and diabetes locus of control beliefs, only dental locus of control beliefs are practicable for determining health behavior a nd health status. It is therefore concluded that locus of control beliefs a re health behavior specific.