Investigating Issues Around Non-engagement in Dental Health Promotion Activities

Method: A cohort of children, currently 3-5 years old, was identified and used to extract anonymised data from the Child Health System database serving 3 PCTs. Inclusion criteria for eligibility to take part in a typical dental health promotion project were applied to divide the cohort into those who would have been participants and non-participants. Information on past and present addresses, birth circumstances, uptake of immunisation and vaccination, registration with a GMP and classification of vulnerability were used to deduce the main reasons for non-participation. Salient features of participants and non-participants were compared.

Results: From the database of 29,221 children, preliminary results show 49% of the cohort have moved into or out of the health economy area (PCT) on one or more occasions since birth. Within this group 91% had one or more changes of address recorded. Of those who remained in the area 88% had changed addresses since birth. The range of number of address changes is 1-30 for those moving into or out of Manchester, 1-24 for those remaining in the city. Allocation of a Health Visitor for the homeless occurred in 3% of the families staying in the area and 8% of those moving in and out.

Conclusion: Residential transiency during a child's early years represents a major reason for ineligibility for participation in a health promotion project based on contact with a HCW within a PCT. Funded by Dept Health Grant No. RDO/90/32