Contextual Factors Influence Mexican-origin Adults’ Engagement in Oral Hygiene Behaviors

Objectives:
Use qualitative interviews to assess contextual factors that affect engagement in oral hygiene behaviors among low-income young adult men and women of Mexican-origin.
Methods: A semi-structured interview guide was created in English, translated by 3 independent bilingual translators experienced in health studies, then adjudicated by bilingual study investigators for cultural/linguistic equivalence. Five bilingual interviewers (4 women, 1 man) were trained and conducted in-person interviews with Mexican-origin young adults, ages 21-40, in San Diego and Imperial counties, CA, in either English or Spanish. Participants were recruited via clinic in-reach and outreach at community events from August-November 2018. A diverse and balanced sample across sex (male/female), primary language (English/Spanish), and marital status (single/married) was achieved. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim in the original language. Thematic analysis was conducted, guided by a structured codebook that captured health behaviors and theory-driven contextual factors, and facilitated by Dedoose software.
Results: Of 72 participants, average age=31±7, 54% were men, 49% single, 54% Spanish-language dominant, and 56% U.S.-born. Participants reported different oral hygiene behavior patterns throughout their lifetime. Many learned about brushing and hygiene in school. Themes emerged around timing of migration to the United States (U.S.) and other contextual factors for engaging in more oral hygiene behaviors. Those born in Mexico who migrated in late childhood or adulthood to the U.S. reported increased use of dental products (particularly floss and mouthwash), occupational opportunities providing time to engage in oral hygiene behaviors, and financial resources to purchase dental supplies. Participants who reported oral hygiene behavior changes with migration tended to be Mexican-born, Spanish-speaking males. Other Mexican-born participants tended to migrate as young children, and hygiene changes were not described as related to migration.
Conclusions: Oral hygiene behavior initiation patterns among Mexican-origin young adults appear to differ according to U.S. migration timing and other contextual factors.