IADR Abstract Archives
Maternal self-efficacy and early childhood caries-a birth cohort study.
Objectives: Child oral health behaviours develop early in life and depend on maternal confidence and skills. Evidence surrounding the influence of the maternal psychosocial factors on oral health of their children is inconclusive and requires exploration. This study aimed to assess the effect of mother’s self-efficacy when brushing their child’s teeth on the prevalence of early childhood caries.
Methods: Data from an ongoing population-based birth cohort study in Adelaide, Australia was used. Mothers of newborn children were invited to participate and complete questionnaires at birth, and subsequently at periodic ages. The primary outcome was prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) collected through standardised examinations when children were 24-30 months. Main exposure included 7 validated oral health self-efficacy (OHSE) questions, combined scores of which were used to group mothers into confident; somewhat confident; and not confident. Socioeconomic (SES) factors were covariates. Data were analysed from bivariate to multivariable log-binomial regression with robust standard error estimation to calculate prevalence ratios (PR).
Results: A total of 1040 child had complete clinical and questionnaire data. The prevalence of ECC was 10.6%. There was gradient in the prevalence of ECC between children across decreasing levels of self-efficacy of their mothers (8.9%; 10.2%; and 14.3%). After controlling for covariates, children of mothers who were not confident or somewhat confident had higher prevalence of ECC (PRs of 0.79 (0.35-1.75) and 0.88 (0.39-1.98) than children of confident mothers respectively.
Conclusions: A non-significant association between maternal self-efficacy and ECC at age two years was observed. This small gradient at this young age may lead to widening inequality when children age. Further research is needed to inform provision of support to mothers of young children in order to prevent dental caries.
Methods: Data from an ongoing population-based birth cohort study in Adelaide, Australia was used. Mothers of newborn children were invited to participate and complete questionnaires at birth, and subsequently at periodic ages. The primary outcome was prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) collected through standardised examinations when children were 24-30 months. Main exposure included 7 validated oral health self-efficacy (OHSE) questions, combined scores of which were used to group mothers into confident; somewhat confident; and not confident. Socioeconomic (SES) factors were covariates. Data were analysed from bivariate to multivariable log-binomial regression with robust standard error estimation to calculate prevalence ratios (PR).
Results: A total of 1040 child had complete clinical and questionnaire data. The prevalence of ECC was 10.6%. There was gradient in the prevalence of ECC between children across decreasing levels of self-efficacy of their mothers (8.9%; 10.2%; and 14.3%). After controlling for covariates, children of mothers who were not confident or somewhat confident had higher prevalence of ECC (PRs of 0.79 (0.35-1.75) and 0.88 (0.39-1.98) than children of confident mothers respectively.
Conclusions: A non-significant association between maternal self-efficacy and ECC at age two years was observed. This small gradient at this young age may lead to widening inequality when children age. Further research is needed to inform provision of support to mothers of young children in order to prevent dental caries.