Social networks and caregivers' perception of children's dental caries

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between social network characteristics and caregivers’ illness perception of children’s dental caries.
Methods: Participants were part of a case-control study investigating the association between caregiver illness perception and early childhood caries (ECC). Caregivers were recruited at the dental clinic of an urban children’s hospital and completed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised for Dental (IPQ-RD). The IPQ-RD consisted of 9 constructs (33 items) assessing caregivers’ cognitive (identity, consequences, control, timeline, illness coherence) and emotional representations of dental caries. Items were scored on a 5-point Likert scale with a higher score representing poorer—or inaccurate—perception. Overall IPQ-RD and construct scores were calculated. Data was collected regarding caregivers’ social network for child oral health advice: network size (0 vs. ≥ 1) and relationship (spouse/significant other/child’s parent, parent/grandparent/sibling, other relative/friend/neighbor/other).
Results: The sample included a total of 165 caregivers of children < 6 years old: 96% female, 67% Black, 66% single, 70% ≥ 26 years old, 63% with > high school diploma/GED, and 69% employed outside the home. Fifty-four (33%) and 111 (67%) caregivers had children without and with ECC, respectively. Independent samples t-tests demonstrated poorer perception of identity (6.83 ± 1.47 vs. 4.82 ± 1.90; p=0.012), control-caregiver (10.17 ± 4.83 vs. 6.70 ± 2.83; p=0.005), and overall IPQ-RD (100.0 ± 16.99 vs. 85.01 ± 16.14; p=0.027) in caregivers who talked to no one compared to at least one person about their child’s oral health. A one-way ANOVA indicated poorer perception of consequences-child in caregivers receiving advice from other relatives/friends/neighbors/others compared to parents/grandparents/siblings (24.19 ± 5.82 vs. 21.65 ± 6.27; p=0.004).
Conclusions: Caregivers without a social network for advice about their child’s oral health (compared to those with a network) and caregivers whose network included other relatives/friends/neighbors/others (compared to those with a network of parents/grandparents/siblings) had poorer illness perception of children’s dental caries.