title: Exploration of the relationship between parent/guardian sociodemographics, intention, and knowledge and the oral health status of their children/wards enrolled in a Central Florida Head Start Program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to identify possible relationships between parent/guardian sociodemographics, intention, knowledge, and the oral health status of their child/ward. Intention includes three factors as defined in the Theory of Planned Behavior: attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control, and oral health status was measured by decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) scores.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of parent/guardian with child/ward with age of three to five (n = 181 dyads) enrolled in a Head Start program in the state of Florida participated. A cross-sectional observational study comprised of two components, parent/guardian questionnaire and an oral health status form for recording dmft scores of participating child/ward was employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parent/guardian race/ethnicity and years of education were significantly related to dmft of child/ward. The highest rates of severe early childhood caries (ECC) were found in child/ward whose parent/guardian is Hispanic and parent/guardian with less than a high school education. Multivariate regression analysis found that increased education level of parent/guardian was significantly associated with lower dmft in this population. No significant relationship was found between parent/guardian self-reported intention (attitudes, subjective norms and perceived control), knowledge and dmft scores of the child/ward.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Researchers have called for greater attention to the impact of parental influences in the aetiology of ECC. Results from this study were consistent with current studies where parent/guardian race/ethnicity and educational level served as predictors of oral health status of children. In this study population, parent/guardian intention and knowledge were not shown to significantly impact the oral health status of their child/ward.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Weatherwax
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Gadbury-Amyot
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D004522:Educational Status; D005431:Florida; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D033182:Intention; D007389:Internal-External Control; D009909:Oral Health; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D012923:Social Class; D044465:White People
keywords: Head Start programs; Theory of Planned Behavior; dental care for children; dental caries; healthcare disparities; parents; socio-economic factors