The Effect of a Community Based Educational Intervention on Oral Health Knowledge Levels of Adult Caregivers of Young Children in the Rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan

ABSTRACT

Low levels of oral health literacy in parents and caregivers may place a child at risk for poor oral health (Miller, Lee, DeWalt, & Vann, 2010). The purpose of this project was to determine baseline oral health literacy levels for a sample of adult caregivers of young children living in rural communities and to determine the effectiveness of a community-based education program on increasing these baseline levels of knowledge. A convenience sample of sixty-four participants who attended educational programs aimed at adult caregivers of young children comprised the sample. The Upper Peninsula Oral Health Literacy Assessment Survey was administered prior to and after participants attended the educational programming. A paired sample t-test was utilized to analyze the data. There was a statistically significant increase in oral health literacy levels after the implementation of a community-based educational program. Scores reflecting oral health literacy rose from 68.8% on the pre-test to 92.6% on the post-test. This study confirms a need for further oral health education. Increasing oral health literacy levels in adult caregivers of young children may lead to an increase in oral health seeking behaviors and a decrease in preventable dental caries in the pediatric population.