Factors Related to Parental Oral Health Care for 3-5 Years Old Children at Child Development Center in Bangn Kruai Municipality, Bang Kruai District, Nonthaburi Province

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to: study knowledge, attitude and perception of risk opportunity for oral health problems among children aged 3-5 years; and investigate how parents’ gender, age, knowledge, attitude, and oral disease awareness relate to oral health care for children aged 3-5 years old at child development center in Bang Kruai municipality, Bang Kruai district, Nonthaburi province. The samples were 182 parents of children aged 3-5 years old. The research tools included knowledge test (KR-20 = .84), and questionnaires linked to perceived risk opportunity, attitude and parental behavior towards oral health care for children aged 3-5 years old (reliabilities = .81, .86 and .93 respectively). Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics including percentage, mean, standard deviation, and also inferential statistics consisting of Pearson correlation coefficient and Chi-Square Test. The findings indicated that:

1) Regarding oral health care for children aged 3-5 years old, parents’ knowledge was at a moderate level, parents’ attitude was at a high level, parents’ perceived risk opportunity was at a moderate level, and parents’ behavior was at a high level.

2) The correlations between parents’ attitude and oral health care for children was at a low level (r=.227) and also between parents’ perceived risk opportunity and oral health care for children was at a very low level (r=.190). In addition, parents’ gender had a significant association with behaviors of oral health care for children aged 3-5 years old (p<.05).

It could be suggested that the development of teaching and learning program for solving problems and also improving parental efficiency program of oral health care for children aged 3-5 years old should be considered.