Relationship between oral health literacy of caregivers and the oral health-related quality of life of children: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: Health and quality of life outcomes 2022-07, Vol.20 (1), p.1-117, Article 117
• Main Authors: Velasco, Sofia Rafaela Maito, Moriyama, Caroline Moraes, Bonecker, Marcelo, Butini, Luciane, Abanto, Jenny, Antunes, José Leopoldo Ferreira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age groups; Calibration; Care and treatment; Caregivers; Children; Children & youth; Cross-sectional studies; Data collection; Dental caries; Dentistry; Families & family life; Family income; Health aspects; Health education; Health literacy; Literacy; Oral health; Oral health literacy; Oral health-related quality of life; Oral hygiene; Parents & parenting; Preschool children; Preschool-age children; Public health; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Services; Siblings; Socioeconomic factors; Statistical analysis
• ISSN: 1477-7525; 1477-7525
• DOI: 10.1186/s12955-022-02019-4

Oral health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate oral health decisions. However, scientific evidence about the oral health literacy of caregivers and the children's oral health-related quality of life. The purpose of this study was to verify the relationship between the level of oral health literacy of caregivers and the children's oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL). This study was conducted with children aged 2 to 4 in Diadema, São Paulo, Brazil. Six hundred thirty children were examined to assess the prevalence of dental caries (dmft index). Parents were interviewed to obtain sociodemographic status, oral conditions, and oral health literacy (OHL). The variable outcome was the children's OHRQOL as assessed by the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). We fitted zero-inflated negative binomial regression (ZINB) models to evaluate associations between the study outcome and covariates in terms of PR (Prevalence Ratios), RR (Rate Ratios), and their respective Confidence Intervals (95% CI). Children's OHRQOL was not associated with OHL. Dental caries had a negative impact on the children's quality of life (p < 0.05). A reduced impact on OHRQOL is also associated with having siblings (PR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.95). A higher age of the mother reduced OHRQOL impacts (PR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.52-0.98). The factors associated with children's OHRQOL were the number of siblings, the mothers' age, and dental caries. This study observed no association between parental OHL and children's OHRQOL.