Developing a Community-Based Oral Health Promotion Program for All Ages SIP 01-04, funded by CDC as part of UW Health Promotion Research Center
In an effort to reduce oral health disparities among diverse segments of the U.S. population, this project is aimed at pregnant women, parents of young children, primary school children, and older adults who have inadequate access to preventive dental services. The target group represents a diversity of ethnic minority and immigrant populations.
Specific aims include:
- Developing a series of CD-ROMs on oral health for specific age and ethnic/language groups that address the etiology and prevention of oral conditions;
- Testing these CD-ROMs in clinical, school, and senior activity settings that serve these populations;
- Testing the impact of CD-ROMs on knowledge regarding oral diseases and their prevention;
- Assessing the feasibility of CD-ROM-based health promotion in these settings;
- Testing the impact of a CD-ROM on cultural competence for dental professionals on their attitudes and communication with diverse patients.
The first three programs, aimed at pregnant women, parents of young children, and schoolchildren, have been tested and are being modified based on this testing and user feedback. The resulting CD-ROMs will be distributed nationwide to schools, WIC and community health care clinics.
Currently we are conducting focus groups with ethnically diverse elders in community settings in order to develop the themes and content for a CD-ROM aimed at this population. This program will be tested with other elders representing this population. Pre-post changes in oral health knowledge and use of preventive services will be assessed after elders have viewed the CD-ROM. The resulting program will be distributed to senior centers and health clinics that focus on wellness and prevention for older adults. The CD-ROM on cultural competence is also under development and will be tested with a sample of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants.
