IADR Abstract Archives
Intervention to Prevent Oral Disease in High Risk Child Populations
Objectives: The study seeks to develop an intervention to reduce oral disease in at-risk infants and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. The objective of the intervention is to support the development of the behaviours as recommended in the DOH document "Delivering Better Oral Health".
Methods: The intervention works with clients of the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), an evidence based programme for first time mothers aged 19 and under, designed to support the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable families in the UK. Phase 1 was the development of the intervention which was informed by interviews with 10 mothers currently enrolled in the FNP programme. In Phase 2 the intervention was delivered, a process evaluation of delivery of the intervention was conducted to test its feasibility and acceptability. This included interviews with 10 of the mothers who had received the intervention and 2 of the FNP nurses.
In Phase 3 of the study the intervention will be reviewed and discussed with a focus group of FNP clients and the results disseminated.
Results: The intervention consists of up to 3 home visits by an oral health worker. The worker uses a motivational interviewing style to support mothers to build self-efficacy to perform protective behaviours. The intervention was delivered to 15 mothers.
Conclusions: Initial findings suggest that it is feasible to deliver a home based oral health intervention to this population group, that these first time young mothers are motivated to care for their babies’ teeth and are able to initiate changes in behaviour to protect their child’s dental health. Some young mothers face particular challenges in establishing protective oral health routines because of a lack of stability in their living environment and the conflicting attitudes of significant others towards exposing their babies to sugary drinks and foods.
Methods: The intervention works with clients of the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), an evidence based programme for first time mothers aged 19 and under, designed to support the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable families in the UK. Phase 1 was the development of the intervention which was informed by interviews with 10 mothers currently enrolled in the FNP programme. In Phase 2 the intervention was delivered, a process evaluation of delivery of the intervention was conducted to test its feasibility and acceptability. This included interviews with 10 of the mothers who had received the intervention and 2 of the FNP nurses.
In Phase 3 of the study the intervention will be reviewed and discussed with a focus group of FNP clients and the results disseminated.
Results: The intervention consists of up to 3 home visits by an oral health worker. The worker uses a motivational interviewing style to support mothers to build self-efficacy to perform protective behaviours. The intervention was delivered to 15 mothers.
Conclusions: Initial findings suggest that it is feasible to deliver a home based oral health intervention to this population group, that these first time young mothers are motivated to care for their babies’ teeth and are able to initiate changes in behaviour to protect their child’s dental health. Some young mothers face particular challenges in establishing protective oral health routines because of a lack of stability in their living environment and the conflicting attitudes of significant others towards exposing their babies to sugary drinks and foods.