Kemp Deena, Mackert Michael, Bouchacourt Lindsay, Lazard Allison J, Wolfe Josefine Ortiz, Stewart Beth, Kahlor LeeAnn, George Caren, Wagner Jessica Hughes, Wilcox Gary
J Am Dent Assoc. 2021 Dec;152(12):1012-1019. doi: 10.1016/j.adaj.2021.06.002. Epub 2021 Sep 4.
Despite evidence that community water fluoridation (CWF) protects oral health, improves health equity, is safe and cost-effective, and contributes to social well-being, little is known regarding which of these benefits should be highlighted to effectively influence support for CWF.
This within-participants study examines differences in CWF support in response to pro-CWF messages reflecting themes of oral health, health equity, CWF safety, cost-effectiveness, or social well-being among a sample of parents. Prior belief that CWF has health benefits, worry about potential health risks, and normative beliefs were also examined as independent predictors of support for each theme.
Oral health, health equity, and safety messages significantly increased support in comparison with social well-being messages (P < .05). Oral health messages also produced greater support than cost-savings messages. Belief that CWF has health benefits positively predicted support, as did normative beliefs that one's family and physician approve of CWF. Worry about health risks and community and dentist norms were not significant predictors of support. There were no interaction effects of message themes and prior beliefs.
Messaging focused on oral health, health equity, and the safety of CWF may be the most effective at influencing support for CWF. Preexisting personal beliefs about CWF benefits significantly predict support, but so do normative beliefs-family and physician norms in particular.
Findings suggest dental health educators should emphasize CWF's oral health benefits, such as preventing caries, over cost-saving and social well-being outcomes. They should also consider collaborating with family physicians to promote CWF and referencing other groups that may positively influence beliefs that CWF is beneficial.
尽管有证据表明社区水氟化（CWF）可保护口腔健康、改善健康公平性、安全且具有成本效益，并有助于社会福祉，但对于应突出强调这些益处中的哪一项才能有效影响对CWF的支持，人们却知之甚少。
这项参与者内部研究考察了在一组家长样本中，针对反映口腔健康、健康公平性、CWF安全性、成本效益或社会福祉主题的支持CWF信息，CWF支持度的差异。对CWF具有健康益处的先前信念、对潜在健康风险的担忧以及规范性信念也作为对每个主题支持度的独立预测因素进行了考察。
与社会福祉信息相比，口腔健康、健康公平性和安全性信息显著增加了支持度（P < 0.05）。口腔健康信息也比成本节约信息产生了更大的支持度。认为CWF具有健康益处的信念能积极预测支持度，个人家庭和医生认可CWF的规范性信念也能如此。对健康风险的担忧以及社区和牙医规范并非支持度的显著预测因素。信息主题和先前信念之间没有交互作用。
聚焦于口腔健康、健康公平性和CWF安全性的信息传递可能在影响对CWF的支持方面最为有效。对CWF益处的既有个人信念能显著预测支持度，但规范性信念——尤其是家庭和医生规范——也能如此。
研究结果表明，牙科健康教育工作者应强调CWF的口腔健康益处，如预防龋齿，而不是成本节约和社会福祉成果。他们还应考虑与家庭医生合作以推广CWF，并提及其他可能对CWF有益的信念产生积极影响的群体。
