Oral health beliefs and oral hygiene behaviours among parents of urban Alaska Native children

American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children have a prevalence rate of early childhood caries 5 times that of the overall US population. Oral hygiene and oral health beliefs have not been described among AI/AN parents. This study explored constructs of the health belief model informing oral health beliefs and oral hygiene behaviours of parents of AI/AN children ages 0-6 years. The study aimed to determine the toothbrushing behaviour in parents of AI/AN childrenand the relationship between parent oral health beliefs and toothbrushing frequency. A cross-sectional survey which included the Oral Hygiene Scale, Oral Health Belief Questionnaire and the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale was administered to a convenience sample of parents of AI/AN children 71 months or younger attending outpatient paediatric primary care appointments (N=100). Analyses were conducted to determine parent toothbrushing and the relationship between parent health beliefs and child toothbrushing. The odds of regular child toothbrushing were 49.10 times higher when the parent brushed their own teeth regularly (confidence interval (CI)=11.46–188.14; p\u3c0.001). Parental toothbrushing had a strong positive association with the belief that oral health is as important as physical health. This research endorses parent-focused toothbrushing interventions to reduce AI/AN early childhood caries rates

Oral health beliefs and oral hygiene behaviours among parents of urban Alaska Native children

American Indialaska Native (AI/AN) children have a prevalence rate of early childhood caries 5 times that of the overall US population. Oral hygiene and oral health beliefs have not been described among AI/AN parents. This study explored constructs of the health belief model informing oral health beliefs and oral hygiene behaviours of parents of AI/AN children ages 0-6 years. The study aimed to determine the toothbrushing behaviour in parents of AI/AN childrenand the relationship between parent oral health beliefs and toothbrushing frequency. A cross-sectional survey which included the Oral Hygiene Scale, Oral Health Belief Questionnaire and the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale was administered to a convenience sample of parents of AI/AN children 71 months or younger attending outpatient paediatric primary care appointments (N=100). Analyses were conducted to determine parent toothbrushing and the relationship between parent health beliefs and child toothbrushing. The odds of regular child toothbrushing were 49.10 times higher when the parent brushed their own teeth regularly (confidence interval (CI)=11.46–188.14; p\u3c0.001). Parental toothbrushing had a strong positive association with the belief that oral health is as important as physical health. This research endorses parent-focused toothbrushing interventions to reduce AI/AN early childhood caries rates

Mapping

Objective. Some of the most promising medical treatments are currently being developed and used in clinical trials. In the US, rates of chronic disease among racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately high. Unfortunately, the rates of minority participation in medical research are low, and the reasons are unclear. This study seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge that is currently available relating to the specific barriers to racial/ ethnic minority participation in medical research through the conceptualization and measurement of these barriers. Design. Study participants included a convenience sample obtained from the National Cancer Institute’s Special Populations Networks, and consisted of practitioners, researchers and community members who specialize in research related to the treatment and prevention of cancer. A structured form of concept mapping (Trochim 1989) was the methodology used in this study. The concept mapping process has three specific phases: (1) project planning*development of project focus statements and sample selection (2) idea generation and structuring and (3) analysis and interpretation. This method is analogous to a more formalized and structured focus group approach, and involved th