Oral health knowledge and behaviours: associations between family members

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To describe the associations among spouses and their children regarding their oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviours. METHODS: The study population was households with a child attending grade 1 in primary school in Hong Kong. Selected schools in different districts participated. Visits to the students' homes were made. The father and the mother each separately completed a questionnaire on his/her own oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviours. Another questionnaire about the child's oral health behaviour and parents' attitude towards their child's oral health was completed by parents. Spearman's correlation and McNemar's test were used to assess the relationship between father's, mother's, and their child's oral health knowledge, attitude, behaviours. RESULT: So far, 143 families including 117 fathers, 140 mothers and 143 children participated. Twice daily was the most common frequency for tooth brushing (69%) reported by the subjects. Positive correlations were found between the tooth brushing frequency of father and mother (rho=0.27, p<0.01), father and child (rho=0.38, p<0.01), and mother and child (rho=0.40, p<0.01). Snacking frequency of parents and child was also positively correlated, father and mother (rho=0.23, p=0.01), father and child (rho=0.22, p=0.03), and mother and child (rho=0.36, p<0.01). Habit of having regular dental visits was similar between spouses (25% vs. 33%, p>0.05). Proportion of children having regular dental visits (47%) was significantly higher than those of the parents (p<0.05). Spouses' oral health knowledge was positively correlated (rho=0.27, p<0.01) but their oral health attitude was not. CONCLUSION: The preliminary results of this study suggest a positive correlation between spouses regarding their oral health knowledge and behaviours. Parent's oral hygiene habits are also positively correlated with their child's. Support by the University of Hong Kong for the Public Health strategic research theme (grant account #00700026).