Cultural factors and children's oral health care: a qualitative study of carers of young children

Cultural factors and children's oral health care: a qualitative study of carers of young children
Published article online:
23 May 2007
Issue online:
22 Nov 2007
Submitted 27 December 2005; accepted 20 June 2006
To cite this article: Irene V. Hilton, Samantha Stephen, Judith C. Barker, Jane A. Weintraub (2007)
Cultural factors and children's oral health care: a qualitative study of carers of young children
Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology 35 (6), 429Ò438.
doi:10.1111/j.1600-0528.2006.00356.x
Blackwell Synergy

Irene V. Hilton11Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA, Samantha Stephen11Department of Public Health, San Francisco, CA, USA, Judith C. Barker22Center to Address Disparities in ChildrenÌs Oral Health, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA and Jane A. Weintraub22Center to Address Disparities in ChildrenÌs Oral Health, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

Irene Hilton, Silver Avenue Health Center, 1525 Silver Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94134, USA
Tel: +1 415 657 1708
Fax: +1 415 467 3320
e-mail: irene.hilton@sfdph.org
Hilton IV, Stephen S, Barker JC, Weintraub JA. Cultural factors and children's oral health care: a qualitative study of carers of young children. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2007. © 2007 San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Abstract

Objective: This qualitative study sought to identify cultural beliefs, practices and experiences that influence access to preventive oral health care for young children from different racial and ethnic groups.

Methods: Four to six focus groups in each of the AfricanÒAmerican, Chinese, Latino and Filipino communities in San Francisco, California were included in the study. Participants were carers of children aged 1Ò5 years. The 22 groups (n = 177 participants) were stratified by carer's age and, except in the AfricanÒAmerican community, by whether US or non-US born. Sessions were conducted in different languages as needed.

Results: Lack of knowledge and beliefs about primary teeth created barriers to early preventive care in all groups. In Chinese groups more than others, health beliefs regarding disease causation and prevention influenced access to preventive dental care. In all groups, multiple family carers, especially elders, influenced access to preventive care. Dental fear, whether derived from prevailing community beliefs or personal negative dental experiences, greatly influenced attitudes regarding accessing preventive care.

Conclusion: There are both similarities and differences between racial/ethnic groups in how cultural beliefs and experiences influence young children's access to dental care and how it might be improved.

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