scholarly journals A Qualitative Study of Child Nutrition and Oral Health in El Salvador

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 2508
Author(s):  
Priyanka Achalu ◽  
Neha Zahid ◽  
Dominique N Sherry ◽  
Andrew Chang ◽  
Karen Sokal-Gutierrez
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Tooth Decay ◽  
Maternal Child Health ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Sugary Drinks

The nutrition transition from traditional diets to processed snacks and sugary beverages has contributed to a higher burden of child malnutrition, obesity, and tooth decay. While child health interventions typically promote nutritious eating, they rarely promote oral health. Mothers’ motivations for child nutrition and oral health practices need to be better understood. A convenience sample of 102 mothers in eight rural Salvadoran communities participated in focus groups addressing child nutrition and oral health. Focus groups were transcribed and coded using qualitative content analysis. Primary themes included generational changes in health environments; health knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and access and barriers to health services. Mothers noted general improvements in awareness of oral hygiene but poorer child oral health, which they attributed to widespread sales of unhealthy snacks and beverages near schools. Distance and cost limited families’ access to dental services. Knowledge gaps included the belief that oral iron supplements cause tooth decay, uncertainty regarding when to start tooth brushing, and until when parents should help children brush. Maternal-child health programs should emphasize the adverse health consequences of feeding young children processed snacks and sugary drinks, and promote dental care access and regulations to ensure health-promoting environments surrounding schools.

scholarly journals Early Childhood Junk Food Consumption, Severe Dental Caries, and Undernutrition: A Mixed-Methods Study from Mumbai, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8629
Author(s):  
Priyanka Athavale ◽  
Nehaa Khadka ◽  
Shampa Roy ◽  
Piyasree Mukherjee ◽  
Deepika Chandra Mohan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Maternal Child Health ◽  
Junk Food ◽  
Sugary Drinks ◽  
Maternal Child

In India, globalization has caused a nutrition transition from home-cooked foods to processed sugary snacks and drinks, contributing to increased early childhood caries (ECC). This mixed-methods study describes risk factors for ECC and associations with undernutrition in low-income communities in Mumbai. Interviews with mothers of 959 children, ages six-months through six-years, addressed maternal-child nutrition and oral health, and children received dental exams and anthropometric assessments. Focus groups with community health workers and mothers explored experiences and perceptions of oral health, nutrition, and ECC. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses of quantitative data, and content analysis of qualitative data were performed. Eighty percent of children lived 5 min from a junk-food store, over 50% consumed junk-food and sugary tea daily, 50% experienced ECC, 19% had severe deep tooth decay, 27% experienced mouth pain, and 56% experienced chronic and/or acute malnutrition. In children ages 3–6, each additional tooth with deep decay was associated with increased odds of undernutrition (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.10, Confidence Interval [CI] 1.02–1.21). Focus groups identified the junk-food environment, busy family life, and limited dental care as contributors to ECC. Policy interventions include limits on junk-food marketing and incorporating oral health services and counseling on junk-food/sugary drinks into maternal–child health programs.

scholarly journals Early Childhood Oral Health and Nutrition in Urban and Rural Nepal

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 2456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsang ◽  
Sokal-Gutierrez ◽  
Patel ◽  
Lewis ◽  
Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
Rural Children ◽  
Maternal Child Health ◽  
Junk Food ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Sugary Drinks ◽  
Maternal Child

Globalization and urbanization in Nepal have driven a nutritional transition from an agricultural-based diet to an ultra-processed, sugary diet. This study assessed the nutrition and oral health of 836 children age 6 months to 6 years and their families in rural and urban Nepal. Mothers were interviewed about maternal–child oral health and nutrition, and children received dental exams and height and weight measurements. Analyses utilized SPSS statistical software. Most families lived within a 5-minute walk to a store selling ultra-processed snacks and sugary drinks. While most mothers knew sweets caused tooth decay, half of the children were given sweets daily, and 58.2% of children had dental caries. Caries began in the first 2 years and increased in prevalence and severity to age 6, when 74.3% had caries and 20% experienced mouth pain. Despite greater health knowledge and resources among urban mothers, urban children’s increased access to junk food and frequency of consumption was associated with higher prevalence and severity of caries compared to rural children. Severe caries was associated with malnutrition, especially in rural children. Preventive strategies are needed in early childhood to incorporate nutrition and oral health education and dental care into maternal–child health services, and develop policies to prohibit the sale of junk food around schools.

70 Sharing Child Health Knowledge in an Urban Inuit Community: A Needs Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. e50-e51
Author(s):  
Daniel Bierstone ◽  
Brian Hummel ◽  
Dennis Newhook ◽  
Radha Jetty
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Needs Assessment ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Dissemination ◽  
Inuit Community ◽  
Parents And Caregivers

Abstract Primary Subject area Public Health and Preventive Medicine Background It is well established that significant health disparities continue to affect Canadian Indigenous children living both in remote and urban areas. A critical component of health promotion is health knowledge dissemination. A 2011 Health Council of Canada study identified the need for better community knowledge of parenting and child health as intervention targets among Indigenous communities across Canada. Objectives In the present study, we aimed to explore the perspectives of Inuit parents and caregivers in one urban setting (Ottawa, Ontario) on the dissemination of child health knowledge specifically, with the intention of guiding future community-based child health promotion initiatives. Design/Methods Ottawa, being home to the largest Inuit population living outside Inuit Nunangat, provided an ideal study location. Many Inuit report relocating to Ottawa for employment, education, or for greater access to heath services. We therefore partnered with the Ottawa-based Inuuqatigiit Centre for Children, Youth, and Families, to design and conduct a needs assessment through a series of focus groups. Focus groups explored participants’ current sources of child health knowledge, child health topics of interest, and preferred formats for child health knowledge dissemination. Focus groups were held at Inuuqatigiit and included a meal of country food shared by study participants and research team members to support relationship-building and engagement. Focus groups were analyzed using an inductive approach to qualitative thematic analysis. Results 24 Inuit parents and caregivers participated in 4 focus groups. Factors affecting preferred sources of health knowledge included trustworthiness, fear of discrimination, cultural differences, and having a holistic approach. Participants identified several child health issues that should be the focus of future child health knowledge sharing initiatives, in particular those in which a sense of cultural dissonance was felt between traditional and Western approaches. In-person and online/interactive sessions were preferred over written materials. Many participants agreed that child health knowledge-sharing initiatives should be designed and delivered with involvement of the community. Participants also emphasized the importance of synthesizing traditional knowledge of Elders with that of health professionals. Conclusion There is a need for better child health knowledge dissemination strategies among the Ottawa Inuit community as a crucial aspect of health promotion. Special considerations when designing such initiatives must be given to historical dynamics of trust and mistrust of the health professions, to addressing cultural differences, and to the role of community members in the design and implementation of initiatives.

Digital Medical Care

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Alfred Okoth Akwala
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Maternal Child Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Maternal Child

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every minute, at least one woman dies from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, translating to about 585,000 women losing their lives each year due to child-birth-related complications. Modern information and communication technologies (ICTs) have a pivotal role to play in tackling health-related problems by empowering individuals and equipping decision makers with timely information about critical health issues. This study aimed to evaluate the appropriation of mobile phone applications in enhancing maternal-child health knowledge in rural areas in Kenya with special focus on Busia County. Findings indicated that mobile phone dissemination of maternal health knowledge has a possibility of accelerating access and utilisation of skilled facility services. Therefore, emerging technologies can offer real opportunities to communities by enabling them get reliable and timely information on maternal-child health issues.

scholarly journals A Community-Based Participatory Research Approach to Understand Urban Latino Parent’s Oral Health Knowledge and Beliefs

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamanna Tiwari ◽  
Nayanjot Rai ◽  
Eivi Colmenero ◽  
Hilda Gonzalez ◽  
Mirna Castro
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Latino Parents ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge

The aim of this study is to describe oral health knowledge, behaviors, and beliefs of Latino parents with children under the ages of 6 years and to conduct a needs assessment with Latino families to better understand the challenges in maintaining oral health for their children. The investigator collaborated with a community serving the organization to recruit Latino primary caregivers for focus groups interviews and 30 primary caregivers were recruited. The focus groups data was transcribed and analyzed using a grounded theory approach using QDA Miner software. Findings from the focus groups demonstrate that the primary caregivers described barriers in maintaining oral health for their children including cultural barriers, child’s temperament, lack of time, and easy access to high-risk foods. All participants said that they wanted to receive information on the oral health of their children; they wanted the dentist or the hygienist to demonstrate oral hygiene practices and explain to them the reasons for oral health behaviors. Although the primary caregivers recognized some factors related to caries development, their knowledge was limited in depth. Culturally appropriate oral health education is required for this population, which could lead to more adherent oral health behavior and a higher sense of self-efficacy in Latino parents.

scholarly journals Maternal and Child Nutrition and Oral Health in Urban Vietnam

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (14) ◽  
pp. 2579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Huang ◽  
Karen Sokal-Gutierrez ◽  
Kenny Chung ◽  
Wenting Lin ◽  
Linh Ngo Khanh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Caries ◽  
Child Nutrition ◽  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Nutrition Transition ◽  
Bottle Feeding ◽  
Oral Health Promotion ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
South Vietnam ◽  
Mothers And Children

The global nutrition transition has contributed to child obesity and dental caries in developing countries, including Vietnam. Few studies have described the nutrition and oral health of mothers and children. This a descriptive study of the nutrition and oral health characteristics of a convenience sample of 571 children aged 2 to 5 years and their mothers from 5 urban preschools in Central and South Vietnam. The mothers completed a written survey, and the children received dental exams and weight/height measurements. High rates of bottle-feeding and the consumption of sweets were reported. One in 4 children were overweight/obese. Dental caries increased in prevalence and severity by age—at 5 years, 86.7% of children had tooth decay in an average of 8.5 teeth, and 70.9% experienced mouth pain. Most mothers and children suffered from untreated dental disease. Public health programs should focus on nutrition and oral health promotion, as well as dental treatment from pregnancy and birth onward.

scholarly journals 95 Child Health Promotion Through Community Educational Sessions in an Urban Inuit Community: A Needs Assessment

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. e39-e40
Author(s):  
Brian Hummel ◽  
Daniel Bierstone ◽  
Radha Jetty ◽  
Dennis Newhook ◽  
Janice Messam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Needs Assessment ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
Urban Inuit ◽  
Inuit Community

Abstract Introduction/Background Canadian Inuit children experience significant health disparities compared to their non-Inuit counterparts. Despite almost one-fifth of Canadian Inuit living in urban centres, few studies have explored their health needs. Current literature surveying Indigenous leaders identifies the need for improved access to child health and parenting knowledge. Community-based initiatives have been shown to improve Indigenous maternal and child health outcomes. Our study aimed to describe urban Inuit parents’ perspectives on accessing child health knowledge to guide development of Inuit-specific health knowledge-sharing initiatives. Objectives Design/Methods In conjunction with community partners, we conducted a qualitative needs assessment through focus groups at an urban-situated organization that provides cultural, educational, and social services to Inuit children and families. Participants were parents and caregivers of Inuit children. All focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and imported into NVivo software. Inductive coding was used to identify themes related to participants’ sources of health knowledge, barriers and facilitators to accessing health knowledge, and health topics that participants hoped to learn more about. Results Twenty-four individuals participated in four focus groups, of which twenty-one (88%) identified as Inuit. While participants represented a range of ages (19-40 years), most participants (42%) were 31-40 years old. The majority of participants (88%) identified as female. Participants had lived a median of 15 years in an urban setting (interquartile range 10-23). Seventeen participants (71%) cared for children aged 5 or younger. The main sources of health knowledge reported were Indigenous-focused services, online resources, telehealth and social networks (e.g. family and peers). The most notable barrier to accessing child health information was cultural differences (i.e. lifestyle and parenting practices). Discrimination and challenges with systems navigation also emerged as themes. Key health topics of interest included common childhood complaints (e.g. infections and immunizations), infant care, nutrition, parenting and development, mental health, and sexual education for adolescents. Preferred modes of child health information delivery were in-person sessions, pamphlets, and online videos with preferences for both health care providers and Inuit Elders as facilitators. Key access factors included Inuit language/translation, convenience of location, transportation, scheduling, and presence of food and childcare. Conclusion Our results reveal important factors affecting access to child health knowledge among Inuit families in a large urban setting, as well as key child health topics of interest to this population. Informed by these findings and with help from our community partners, we are co-developing child health knowledge-sharing initiatives specific to the needs of the Inuit community in our region.

Local Governance and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Rural Kenya

2016 ◽  
pp. 175-183
Author(s):  
Alfred Akwala
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Maternal Mortality ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
Maternal Child Health ◽  
Information Communication ◽  
Participatory Communication ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Maternal Child

Poor communication approaches in addition to other socio-economic factors in rural areas are the greatest contributors to infant and maternal mortality. Estimates show that sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia bear the greatest burden of maternal mortality. Traditional media has been seen to be ineffective in dissemination of maternal-child health information. However information communication technology (ICT) provides a variety of media platforms that can be appropriated in disseminating maternal-child health knowledge. The objective of this paper was to investigate how ICT can be appropriated in rural areas for campaigns in maternal-child health. One major issue emerged in this paper; that appropriate interactive and participatory communication through ICT influences the dissemination of maternal-child health knowledge among the rural population and thus influences utilisation of skilled maternal-child health services.

scholarly journals Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior of Nursing and Technical Students in Croatia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomislav Cabov ◽  
Ksenija Eljuga ◽  
Petra Nola Fuchs ◽  
Maja Kinkela Devcic ◽  
Jelena Prpic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
World Health ◽  
P Value ◽  
Tooth Decay ◽  
Oral Health Promotion ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Study Programs ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Objective The aim of this study is to test knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of the students from the Bjelovar University of Applied Sciences in relation to oral health, and to determine the respectable differences between students of nursing and technical study programs. Participants and Methods Students were randomly selected to represent a convenient sample. A total of 140 students from nursing and technical studies were interviewed by using the World health organization Oral Health Questionnaire, adapted to fit the study purposes. Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics were used to determine frequency distribution and percentages for all variables. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to compare the proportions. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results The distribution of participants regarding gender was significantly different between the study programs (p = 0.000). Significant difference was also observed in their perceived socioeconomic status (p = 0.001). A significant difference was found between the study programs regarding the knowledge whether bad teeth could impair general health (p = 0.001), could tooth decay and periodontal disease may be prevented (p = 0.002), as well as the importance of regular dental check-ups for prevention of tooth decay (p = 0.028). There were significant differences regarding dietary habits and alcohol consumption in the past 30 days between the observed study programs (p = 0.000) while no significant differences were found regarding tobacco and tobacco product use (p = 0.170). Conclusion Results obtained and presented in this paper show better knowledge and more favorable habits and behaviors among the students from nursing study program compared with the technical ones. Still all students’ habits should be changed to improve oral health. To change attitudes and influence habits, effective oral health promotion programs are needed; not only in colleges, but also in primary and secondary schools.

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