Methods: Focus group discussions were carried out with parents of pre-school children in areas of deprivation in two NHS Boards, three groups per Board. Two mini-group discussions were also held with nursery school staff in each Board, nurseries in one Board area having been a distribution route. A topic guide was used to explore awareness and response to distribution methods, pack products and the overall programme. Discussion group transcripts were coded and electronically organised according to emerging themes and topic areas.
Results: Levels of awareness varied among parents, appearing to be linked to the level of local activity by distributors. All respondents viewed nurseries and health visitors as appropriate routes for pack distribution, with nursery staff seeing it as a natural extension of existing nursery brushing schemes. However, where nursery distribution existed, some staff felt ill-informed about the programme. Additionally, some teachers and parents reported distribution to be occasionally erratic, with an excessive amount of packs supplied to nurseries and distributed to parents at times. Reaction to the pack products ranged from enthusiasm to unwillingness to use products not considered ‘child-friendly'. Parents aware of the pack found it useful in encouraging toothbrushing and in providing additional information on its practice. Health visitors were, however, also viewed as important information-givers. Most considered the programme to be valuable and parents felt that primary school children should also be targeted.
Conclusions: Most parents and nursery staff were supportive of the programme and viewed health visitor and nursery distribution as appropriate. Parents also felt that older children would benefit. Nursery staff would welcome more information to carry out such initiatives.
Funded by the Scottish Executive Health Department