title: Effects of time and socio-economic status on the determinants of oral health-related behaviours of parents of preschool children.
abstract: The oral health-related beliefs of parents have an important impact on the oral health status of their children; however, they are not stable over time. This study aimed to assess the changes, over time, in the determinants of parental oral health-related behaviour based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and to investigate socio-economic inequalities. The cohort consisted of the parents - mainly the mothers - of 1,057 children born in 2003 and 2004 in Flanders (Belgium). According to the Theory of Planned Behaviour, validated questionnaires, completed at children's birth and at age 3 and 5 yr, assessed parental attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioural control, and intention towards three behaviours: dietary habits, oral hygiene habits, and dental attendance. Linear mixed-model analyses were applied. Positive parental attitudes towards oral health-related behaviours increased between birth and 3 yr of age, whereas the scores for subjective norms and intentions decreased. Scores remained stable for children between three and 5 yr of age. Highly educated mothers had significantly higher scores for attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and intentions than less-educated mothers. Health promotion campaigns should take these natural changes and inequalities of dental beliefs into account when developing and evaluating interventions.
authors.affiliation: Youth Health Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. sigrid.vandenbranden@med.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van den Branden
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van den Broucke
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Declerck
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoppenbrouwers
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D032763:Behavior Control / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors