IADR Abstract Archives
Parental Acculturation and Oral Health of Children among Immigrants
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of parental acculturation on their children's caries experience and oral health behaviors.
Methods: Participants of this cross-sectional study were immigrant parents and their children aged 2-12 years recruited by previously identified community organizations. Data were collected by validated questionnaires and dental examinations. The questionnaires gathered information on socio-demographics, child’s oral health behaviors, and parents’ acculturation level. Dental examinations determined child’s caries experience using the dmft index. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.
Results: Total of 336 families participated in this study. Children's mean (SD) age was 6.2 (±2.8) years, 50.6% were female, and 60.7% were born in Canada. The mean (SD) age of mothers was 37 (±6.15) years, and 67% had college or university education. The monthly household income of 71% of the participants was less than $4000, and over 90% were Canadian citizens or permanent residents with an average of 8 years of living in Canada. Length of residency (B= .118; 95% CI= .075, .161) mothers’ education (B= 1.79; 95% CI= .1.27, .2.31), and household income (B= .918; 95% CI= .240, 1.59). significantly predicted parents’ acculturation level. Parents with high cultural knowledge, which is a component of acculturation, reported a higher frequency of daily toothbrushing compared to those with low cultural knowledge (p=0.015). Parents mean scores of acculturation to Canadian, English language proficiency, and Canadian food adoption were significantly higher in children who consume sugar with meal more than once per day vs less than once per day (p=0.001).
Conclusions: Parental acculturation had beneficial and detrimental effects on children’s oral health among immigrants. Therefore, increasing parents' awareness about the importance of their children’s oral health is crucial. Dental practitioners should also be culturally competent to provide the appropriate advice to this population and policymakers should be sensitive to cultural differences and adequately address the unique needs of immigrants to maintain oral health equity.
Methods: Participants of this cross-sectional study were immigrant parents and their children aged 2-12 years recruited by previously identified community organizations. Data were collected by validated questionnaires and dental examinations. The questionnaires gathered information on socio-demographics, child’s oral health behaviors, and parents’ acculturation level. Dental examinations determined child’s caries experience using the dmft index. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate regression analyses.
Results: Total of 336 families participated in this study. Children's mean (SD) age was 6.2 (±2.8) years, 50.6% were female, and 60.7% were born in Canada. The mean (SD) age of mothers was 37 (±6.15) years, and 67% had college or university education. The monthly household income of 71% of the participants was less than $4000, and over 90% were Canadian citizens or permanent residents with an average of 8 years of living in Canada. Length of residency (B= .118; 95% CI= .075, .161) mothers’ education (B= 1.79; 95% CI= .1.27, .2.31), and household income (B= .918; 95% CI= .240, 1.59). significantly predicted parents’ acculturation level. Parents with high cultural knowledge, which is a component of acculturation, reported a higher frequency of daily toothbrushing compared to those with low cultural knowledge (p=0.015). Parents mean scores of acculturation to Canadian, English language proficiency, and Canadian food adoption were significantly higher in children who consume sugar with meal more than once per day vs less than once per day (p=0.001).
Conclusions: Parental acculturation had beneficial and detrimental effects on children’s oral health among immigrants. Therefore, increasing parents' awareness about the importance of their children’s oral health is crucial. Dental practitioners should also be culturally competent to provide the appropriate advice to this population and policymakers should be sensitive to cultural differences and adequately address the unique needs of immigrants to maintain oral health equity.