title: Influence of children's oral health promotion on parents' behaviours, attitudes and knowledge.
abstract: Objective The aim was to compare the changes in parents' oral health-related behaviour, knowledge and attitudes in 2001-2003 and 2003-2005, during a 3.4-year-intervention in Pori and in the reference area Rauma, Finland. Materials and methods The study population consisted of parents of children who participated in the oral health promotion programme in Pori (all 5th and 6th graders who started the 2001-2002 school year in the town of Pori, n = 1691) and the parents of same-aged children in a reference town (n = 807). In 2001-2003, the promotion was targeted only to the children in Pori. In 2003-2005, the promotion was targeted also to parents, for example via local mass media. The statistical significances of the differences in parents' self-reported behaviour, knowledge and attitudes, and changes in these, were evaluated using Mann-Whitney U-tests and confidence intervals. Results In 2001-2003, the trend in changing behaviours was in favour of parents in Pori. Mothers in Pori also improved their knowledge and the attitude 'importance of brushing for health and appearance'. In 2003-2005, the trend in changing behaviours was rather similar in both towns, which may be due to diffusion of the oral health intervention to Rauma via the media. Conclusions The results suggest that health promotion targeted to children, which in previous studies has been shown to be successful in improving children's behaviours, also helped their parents in mending their habits.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Community Dentistry , Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku , Turku , Finland ;|b FinnBrain Study Group, Department of Psychiatry and Turku Brain and Mind Center , University of Turku , Turku , Finland ;
authors.forename: Mimmi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tolvanen
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pedodontics, Cariology and Endodontology , Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu , Oulu , Finland ;
authors.forename: Vuokko
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Anttonen
authors.affiliation: d City of Turku Welfare Division , Public Dental Health Care Clinic , Turku , Finland ;|e Department of Public Health , University of Turku , Turku , Finland ;
authors.forename: Marja-Leena
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Mattila
authors.affiliation: f Finnish Dental Association , Helsinki , Finland ;|g Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu , Oulu , Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hausen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Community Dentistry , Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku , Turku , Finland ;
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009909:Oral Health; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D062410:Snacks; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000523:psychology; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D014100:Toothpastes; D005459:Fluorides
keywords: Behaviour; change; children; oral health; parents