Association of parental social support and dental caries in hispanic children

This study describes social support of Hispanic parents and the correlation with dental caries in their children. A cross-sectional study design was utilized to assess the 157 parent-child triads recruited from the Children's Hospital Colorado Dental Clinic. The Basic Research Factors Questionnaire (BRFQ) survey was utilized to assess parents' oral health knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and other psychosocial measures with social support as the main predictor variable. Bivariate associations between the independent variables and dmfs were conducted. Independent variables with a bivariate association of p ≤ 0.2 for the outcome variable were included in the multivariable linear regression model. Dental caries in children was significantly associated with less overall parental social support (β = −10.10, p = 0.03). Overall social support was divided into four sub-categories: errand help, money help, childcare help, and transportation help. Dental caries decreased by 7.70 units for every 1-unit increase in transportation help (β = −7.70, p = 0.03). A significant association was observed between parental knowledge on dental utilization and dmfs (β = −2.70, p = 0.04). In the multivariable linear regression model, caries was significantly associated with social support (β = −11.18, p = 0.02) and knowledge on dental utilization (β = −3.84, p = 0.01). The study concludes that a higher level of social support and knowledge on dental utilization for Hispanic parents is correlated with lower rates of dental caries in their children

(Un)weighted Assumptions: Anti-Fatness & Health

This lecture/discussion session aims to expand and add nuance to public health students’, professors’, and practitioners’ understanding of the interplay between body size and health. We will begin by naming and challenging common assumptions about the relationship between bodyweight and health outcomes. We will then argue for the consideration of weight-related stigma as a Fundamental Cause of Disease as defined by Phelan and Link, and for institutionally embedded anti-fat bias at the policy level (e.g., insurance policy, medical equipment) as a cause of population health inequity as defined in Whitehead’s Health Equity Framework. We offer these frameworks in contrast to, and in complement of, current literature which almost exclusively considers the impacts of anti-fat bias through interpersonal interactions and individual impacts. We will conclude the presentation by highlighting areas for future research on this topic in alignment with the School of Public Health’s commitment to health equity. We will offer carefully selected examples and thoughtful discussion prompts throughout the presentation, and hold time at the end for questions and conversation. This project is an expansion of a course project for PHE 522: Health & Social Inequalitie