Oral health literacy among migrant mothers in Sweden. A qualitative study

• Published in: Acta odontologica Scandinavica 2024-03, Vol.83 (1), p.83-91
• Main Authors: Shmarina, Elena, Stensson, Malin, Sant-Network, Jacobsson, Brittmarie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Asylum seekers; Child; dental health; Female; Health Literacy; Humans; information seeking behaviour; Interviews as Topic; Mothers - psychology; Oral Health; oral health information; Original; Qualitative Research; refugees; Sweden; Transients and Migrants - psychology
• ISSN: 0001-6357; 1502-3850; 1502-3850
• DOI: 10.1080/00016357.2023.2291206

This interview study explored the oral health literacy of migrant mothers in Sweden, with special reference to where and why they access information about oral health and how they determine the credibility of such information. In-depth interviews were conducted with seven migrant mothers of children up to 10 years old. The mothers had entered Sweden from 2015 onwards and had been resettled in Kalmar County, Sweden. Their native language was Somalian, Dari or Arabic. The interview questions concerned the participants' experiences of seeking oral health information, as well as oral health in general and dental health services. The interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis. The main findings indicate that migrant mothers used information sourcing as a pathway to solve oral health literacy tasks. Three main categories were identified, each with subcategories, describing the migrant mothers' experiences of accessing and evaluating oral health information: 'accessible source of information', 'needs-related purpose of seeking information' and 'trustworthiness assessment'. The migrant mothers reported that in case of a dental emergency or general queries, they sought oral health information from professionals and social sources. Moreover, they perceived oral health information to be most reliable when it was provided by dental professionals, was a recurring theme, or constituted majority opinion. To improve oral health literacy in migrant mothers of young children, it is important not only to provide consistent and recurrent oral health information through accessible information channels, but also to adapt dental care to be more culturally appropriate.