Influence of maternal psychosocial factors on child's oral health behavior

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the relationships between maternal psycho-social factors and brushing practices in low-income children aged 1-5 years old. METHODS: Data from The Oral Health Advocates in Public Housing (OHAPH) study was used. Analyses were limited to 1–5 year old children and their mothers (n =941). Mothers were surveyed regarding their knowledge about child’s oral health, self-efficacy and self-motivation related to brushing their children’s teeth twice a day. The main outcome measure was children’s brushing frequency reported by their mothers. Analyses were conducted in SAS 9.4 to account for the complex sampling design. RESULTS: Maternal knowledge about child’s oral health was significantly associated with maternal self-efficacy (OR=1.95; 95% CI=1.44-2.64), significant association was also found with maternal self-motivation (OR=3.24; 95% CI=1.42-7.36). Self-efficacy and self-motivation were highly associated (p-value