title: Assessment of parental oral health knowledge and behaviors among American Indians of a Northern Plains tribe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Investigate the relationship between sociodemographic variables and oral health knowledge and behaviors of American Indian (AI) parents as the initial step in a program aimed at reducing caries experience among AI children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey data were collected from a sample of 147 AI parents of children ages 0-7 years who are residents of a Northern Plains reservation. Questions addressed sociodemographic variables for parents/their children and parent oral health knowledge and behavior. Overall knowledge was measured as percentage of items answered correctly. Overall behavior was measured as percentage of items reflecting behavior consistent with accepted oral health recommendations. Oral health knowledge and behaviors, and the relationship between them, were evaluated across groups defined by quartiles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parent sociodemographic variables were not significantly associated with behavior scores. Female gender, higher level of education, and higher income were significantly and positively associated with mean knowledge scores. Behavior and knowledge scores were significantly correlated. On average, survey participants identified the best answer for 75 percent of knowledge items and engaged in 58 percent of optimal oral health behaviors. Participants in higher oral health knowledge quartiles had greater adherence with recommended oral health behaviors than those in lower quartiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surveyed AI parents had reasonably high levels of knowledge about oral health and caries prevention for their children but engaged at relatively lower levels in parental behaviors necessary to promote oral health. Strategies focused on behavior change, rather than knowledge alone, may be most likely to affect oral health outcomes for AI children.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Angela G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Brega
authors.forename: Terrence S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Batliner
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Campagna
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fehringer
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gallegos
authors.forename: Dallas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009909:Oral Health; D010290:Parents; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: American Indians; child; dental caries; health status disparities; oral health; parents