Bilingual day care in Zurich Kinderkrippe Zürich
Kinderbetreuung in Zürich Kinderkrippe Zürich
Kita in Zürich Kinderkrippe Zürich
Kinderkrippe in Zürich Seebach Kinderkrippe Seebach
Academic Journals Database
disseminating
quality controlled scientific knowledge



Parental beliefs and attitudes towards child caries prevention: assessing consistency and validity in a longitudinal design

Author(s): Skaret Erik | Espelid Ivar | Skeie Marit | Haugejorden Ola

Journal: BMC Oral Health ISSN 1472-6831
Volume: 8; Issue: 1; Start page: 1; Date: 2008;
Original page

ABSTRACT
Abstract Background Exploring the stability of self-reports over time in observational studies may give valuable information for the planning of future interventions. The aims of the present study were: 1) to explore the consistency of parental self-reports of oral health habits, beliefs and attitudes towards child oral health care over a two-year period; 2) to evaluate possible differences in item scores and consistency between parents with different immigrant status; and 3) to assess the construct validity of items measuring parental beliefs and attitudes towards child oral health care. Methods The sample (S1, n = 304) included parents of 3-year-old children in Oslo, Norway; 273 mothers of western origin (WN-group) and 31 of non-western origin (IM-group). They were surveyed in 2002 (child age 3 years) and in 2004 (child age 5 years). Two additional samples of parents were also included; one with 5-year old children in 2002 (S2, n = 382) and one with 3-year-old children in 2004 (S3, n = 427). The questionnaire included items measuring child oral health habits and parental beliefs and attitudes towards child oral health care. Results In 2002, 76.8% of the parents reported that they started to brush their child's teeth before the age of 1 year. Eighty-five percent of them reported the same in 2004; 87.0% of the WN-group and 33.3% of the IM-group (P < 0.001). For 17 of 39 items measuring beliefs and attitudes the responses were more positive for the WN-compared to the IM-group. Parents of caries-free children in 2004 reported significantly more positive beliefs and attitudes towards child oral health care in 2002 compared to parents of children with caries in 2004 (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). No differences in mean item scores were found between the three samples S1, S2 and S3. Conclusion The results showed a fair to good consistency of parental self-reports from 2002 to 2004. They also indicate that parents with different cultural backgrounds should be evaluated separately and in a cultural context.