Effect of Caregiver's Race and Ethnicity on Acceptance of Passive Immobilization for Their Child's Dental Treatment.

To determine if caregivers' race and ethnicity impact their willingness to accept passive immobilization for their child's dental treatment and to determine if a detailed description of passive immobilization will make caregivers more likely to accept the technique.
Caregivers of one- to 11-year-old patients were recruited in a university pediatric dental clinic. They completed two surveys and reviewed a written and pictorial description of passive immobilization.
A total of 266 caregivers participated. Subjects were willing to accept passive immobilization at the following percentages by race/ethnicity: Hispanic (84 percent); African American (66 percent); Asian (50 percent); and non-Hispanic Caucasian (24 percent). There was a significant association between a caregiver's race and ethnicity and the willingness to consent to passive immobilization ( =.000), and in willingness to accept passive immobilization after reviewing its detailed description ( =.000).
Differences in acceptance of passive immobilization were observed based upon race and ethnicity. African American and Hispanic caregivers were more willing to accept the technique than their Asian and non-Hispanic Caucasian counter- parts. Caregivers were more likely to accept the use of passive immobilization after they were given more information about the technique.