Bilingual flipcharts help improve oral health-related knowledge and self-efficacy of Korean-American caregivers of preschoolers

J Public Health Dent. 2014 Fall;74(4):261-5. doi: 10.1111/jphd.12073. Epub 2014 Sep 13.

Abstract

Objective: We have limited knowledge on ways to improve oral health-related behaviors for caregivers of minority preschoolers. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a bilingual educational flipchart.

Methods: We piloted a bilingual flipchart with Korean-American caregivers of preschoolers (n=219) and administered pre-/post-intervention surveys. The paired t-test evaluated changes in knowledge and self-efficacy (for all caregivers and stratified by acculturation).

Results: There were significant improvements in knowledge on the bacterial etiology of tooth decay (P=0.02), mother-to-child transmission of tooth decay (P=0.03), fluoride toothpaste safety (P<0.0001), and dental visit frequency (P<0.0001). Caregivers' self-efficacy to keep their child's teeth healthy also improved (P<0.0001). There were differences in knowledge measures based on caregivers' acculturation.

Conclusions: Bilingual educational materials help improve the oral health-related knowledge and self-efficacy of Korean-American caregivers of preschoolers. Larger confirmatory studies are needed and future work should evaluate clinical outcomes associated with improved knowledge and self-efficacy.

Keywords: Korean-American caregiver; acculturation; early childhood caries; health belief model; infant; oral health; self-efficacy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Asian
  • Caregivers*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Focus Groups
  • Humans
  • Knowledge
  • Oral Health*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Republic of Korea / ethnology
  • Self Efficacy*