Riggs Elisha, Gibbs Lisa, Kilpatrick Nicky, Gussy Mark, van Gemert Caroline, Ali Saher, Waters Elizabeth
a Healthy Mothers Healthy Families Research Group , Murdoch Childrens Research Institute , Parkville , Australia.
Ethn Health. 2015;20(3):241-57. doi: 10.1080/13557858.2014.907391. Epub 2014 Apr 17.
Australia is an increasingly multicultural nation. Never before has the dental workforce been exposed to such language, cultural, religious and ethnic diversity. There is evidence that refugee and migrant children experience significantly poorer oral health than the nonmigrant population. However, little is known about the oral health knowledge, practices and beliefs of parents with young children from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The aim of this study was to identify the sociocultural influences on child oral health in these communities.
Participatory and qualitative research methods were utilised. Partnerships were established with community agencies representing migrants from Iraq, Lebanon and Pakistan. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted with community members. Qualitative data were analysed thematically, combining focus group and interview data.
Over 100 women participated in focus groups (n = 11) and semi-structured interviews (n = 7). Key findings included the knowledge, beliefs and practices concerning: caries risk factors, oral health practices and oral health literacy. Despite mothers' knowledge of the major causes of poor oral health - dietary changes, confusion about child oral hygiene practices and limited oral health literacy all influenced child oral health outcomes.
This culturally competent qualitative study explores the sociocultural factors influencing child oral health in refugee and migrant communities. Understanding and acknowledging these factors are a prerequisite to determining where and how to intervene to improve oral health. Furthermore, it has implications for both dental and non-dental health professionals working to reduce health inequalities within such communities.
澳大利亚是一个多元文化日益凸显的国家。牙科从业人员从未像现在这样接触到如此丰富的语言、文化、宗教和种族多样性。有证据表明，难民和移民儿童的口腔健康状况明显比非移民儿童差。然而，对于来自难民和移民背景且有幼儿的父母的口腔健康知识、习惯和观念，我们却知之甚少。本研究的目的是确定这些社区中影响儿童口腔健康的社会文化因素。
采用参与性和定性研究方法。与代表伊拉克、黎巴嫩和巴基斯坦移民的社区机构建立了合作关系。对社区成员进行了焦点小组讨论和半结构化访谈。对定性数据进行了主题分析，将焦点小组和访谈数据相结合。
超过100名女性参与了焦点小组（n = 11）和半结构化访谈（n = 7）。主要发现包括有关以下方面的知识、观念和习惯：龋齿风险因素、口腔健康习惯和口腔健康素养。尽管母亲们了解口腔健康不佳的主要原因，但饮食变化、对儿童口腔卫生习惯的困惑以及有限的口腔健康素养都影响了儿童的口腔健康状况。
这项具有文化适应性的定性研究探讨了影响难民和移民社区儿童口腔健康的社会文化因素。理解和认识这些因素是确定干预地点和方式以改善口腔健康的先决条件。此外，这对致力于减少此类社区内健康不平等现象的牙科和非牙科健康专业人员均有启示意义。
