Role of african-american fathers in child-rearing and oral health practices in an inner city environment--a brief communication.
OBJECTIVE
This study assesses parenting behaviors, health behaviors and attitudes in a sample of disadvantaged African-American fathers and evaluates the potential of fathers as recipients of oral health promotion interventions.


METHODS
Participants were 60 African-American fathers whose children were enrolled in a childhood caries prevention study at Women and Infant Child Program (WIC) (n=25) or who were members of a Young Fathers' Program (n=35) at an urban health center. Demographic factors, oral health knowledge, dental self-efficacy, parenting behaviors, readiness to change, and health promotion behaviors were assessed.


RESULTS
Participants averaged 30.8 years of age (sd=8.6); children averaged 2.1 years (sd=0. 9). Half of the fathers always have lived with their own children and 92% had regular physical contact with their children. Almost half of the sample reported 'fair/poor' oral health status, while less than 25% reported 'fair/poor' general health. Fathers had high oral health knowledge scores (x=7.7 correct of 9 items), and high readiness for change scores at the action stage (X=12.2 of 15; sd=1.9). dental self-efficacy scores were moderate (X=15.7 of 24; sd=5.5). Half of the fathers shared or had sole responsibility for brushing their children's teeth; 90% report children's teeth were brushed daily.


CONCLUSIONS
African- American fathers participated in childrearing and oral health promotion behaviors.
Broder
Hillary
H
Department of Community Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. broder@umdnj.edu
Reisine
Susan
S
Johnson
Robert
R
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*