Kridsana Wuttisin. Factors affecting family's capabilities on oral self-care and deciduous caries among pre-school children in Ubonratchathani province . Master's Degree(Population Education). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2002.
Factors affecting family's capabilities on oral self-care and deciduous caries among pre-school children in Ubonratchathani province
Abstract:
This research was aimed at investigating factors effecting family’s perceivable
capabilities on oral self-care and deciduous caries among pre-school children in
Ubonratchathani The samples used included 685 families. Interview was used with the
care-givers and oral health check-up was used with the pre-school children aged 3-6 years
living together in the same families. The statistical analysis were descriptive and Multiple
Regression Analysis.
The research findings revealed that 1) the proportion of male and female preschool
children was close with an average deciduous caries of 6.4 teeth per child. The state
of oral hygiene was at medium level and their nutrition status was normal. The upper and
lower incisor teeth and the lower molar teeth were decayed respectively. The oral hygiene
and the nutrition status had relationship with deciduous caries 2) Most care-givers were
female and mothers of children with elementary education. They were married and had
home based occupation with oral health knowledge and attitude toward oral health care at a
medium level. They had positive motivation on the prevention of deciduous caries. 3) The
family aspect was mostly a nuclear one, with a monthly income mean of 4,550 baht. 4) The
families received dental information from community, access to service in the community
at the lowest level. 5) Family’s perceivable capability at a good level was brushing activity
whereas that at a medium level was eating food that promoted better dental health and
avoiding food that promoted caries, regular dental check-up, and overall capabilities.
Family’s capability at the lowest level was preventing caries by fluoride use. 6) Factors
affecting family’s capabilities on oral self-care included knowledge and attitude on dental
health of care-givers, motivation toward oral self-care, oral health information support
from community were significant at .01. The variables could collectively predict the
families’ capabilities on oral self-care at 28.0%
The recommendations of this research were that 1) the care-providers should be
encouraged to have correct knowledge and attitude toward dental health and campaigns to
have parents brush their children’s teeth should be launched. 2) the state should
accommodate easy access to services of the public, especially primary level services,
which the public could access easily as well as having information on better oral health for
the community. Furthermore, communities should participate in oral care prevention in the
child population by launching campaigns not to sell sweets which are detrimental to oral
health in an attempt to increase oral self-care ability of the family and to make pre-school
children caries-free.