248453 Acceptability, feasibility and utilization of two automated formats for phone-based oral health education

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Kristin Hoeft, MPH , Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health (CAN DO); Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of California- San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
M. Judy Gonzalez-Vargas, BA , Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health (CAN DO); Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of Californa San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Zenelia Roman, BA , Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health (CAN DO); Nursing School, University of Californa San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Catherine Kavanagh, BA , Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health (CAN DO); Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of Californa San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Jana Murray, RN , Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health (CAN DO); Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences, University of Californa San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Barbara Heckman, RDH, MS , Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences; Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health (CAN DO), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Dean Schillinger, MD , Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Margaret Handley, PhD, MPH , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Judith C. Barker, PhD , Department of Anthropology, History and Social Medicine; Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health (CAN DO), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Stuart A. Gansky, MS, DrPH , Center to Address Disparities in Children's Oral Health, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Margaret M. Walsh, MS, EdD , Department of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences; Center to Address Disparities in Chidren's Oral Health (CAN DO), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a prevalent and serious problem which particularly affects low-income, minority, and low-literacy populations. Interventions are needed that connect at-risk populations with prevention information.

Methods: This study assessed the acceptability, feasibility and utilization of two automated formats of a phone-based oral health (ECC) education program among a convenience sample of low-income English and Spanish-speaking parents of children aged 1-3 years. Qualitative interviews ranging 30 to 90 minutes were conducted with parents to assess the acceptability of passive (toll-free number on a brochure) versus proactive (automatically generated call plus brochure) phone education formats. Sampling for acceptability, feasibility and utilization data was conducted at two WIC and two community health clinic sites.

Results: Thirty one (17 English, 14 Spanish) qualitative interviews were conducted. Both formats were acceptable to parents of both languages. Thirteen of 56 parents (23%) who agreed to be contacted for the automated phone education answered the call and stayed on the line to hear the information. Spanish-speaking parents had four times the odds of completing such educational calls compared to English-speaking parents (adjusted odds ratio of 4.34 (95% CI: 1.03, 18.3). Only 2 parents called the toll-free number for education.

Conclusion: While both proactive and passive phone education formats were acceptable to parents, the proactive format reached a higher proportion of the sample population, particularly Spanish-speakers. This pilot study suggests proactive phone education with oral health information might be of interest to low-income Spanish speaking parents of young children.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Describe how parents felt about oral health curriculum being delivered over the phone. List the oral health content parents are most interested in learning about. Discuss the difference in utilization rates of the proactive versus passive phone education systems.

Keywords: Health Communications, Early Childhood Caries

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I work on multiple oral health disparities research projects, with significant responsibilities in design, data collection, and data analysis. I have a MPH degree in health behavior and education and am currently pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology and Translational Science.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Reducing Risk, Expanding Prevention, and Enhancing Oral Health Promotion
See more of: Oral Health