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HELSEVEL-Gode og effektive helse-, omsorgs- og velferdstjenester

Innovative intervention: Caries-Obesity Prevention in children by modifying risk behaviors among parents with immigrant background-COP study

Alternative title: Innovativ intervensjon: Karies-fedmeforebygging hos barn ved å modifisere risikoatferd blant foreldre med innvandrerbakgrunn-COP-studie

Awarded: NOK 6.5 mill.

Background Immigrants constitute 18.2 % of the whole population in Norway. Health inequalities were previously reported, and immigrant status has been associated with a high risk of caries and obesity in children. Lack of parental knowledge, poor communication, ethnic and cultural differences are suggested to be reasons for the observed discrepancies. Therefore, research-based knowledge about the social, psycho-social and cognitive factors, that direct health / dental health-related behavior in families with an immigrant background is needed. Aims The main goal of this project is to assess attitudes and behaviors related to health/oral health among immigrant parents with newborn children (0-6 months). Develop an intervention programs with the aim of increasing the parent's knowledge of the children's oral hygiene/food habits and to evaluate in a follow-up study the effect of intervention on parents' knowledge and attitude with regard to dental caries and obesity. Methods Parents with immigrant status will be recruited from primary health centers located in the western part of Norway when meeting for children’s vaccination. Primary health care centers will be conveniently divided into an intervention and control group. Intervention in form of a health/dental health information translated into different native language will be provided for the intervention group. The control group will receive regular primary care health information. Efficacy of the intervention will be assessed as differences in change scores between intervention and control group regarding parental attitudes, knowledge and behaviors and children’s quality of life related to health and oral health, children’s body mass index and early childhood caries. Objective of this work are consistent with community needs to eliminate health/social inequalities and it is anticipated that a culturally adapted interventions can be implemented among immigrant families at a moderate cost.

The immigrant population constitutes 18.2 % of the whole population in Norway and they have background from 222 different states and self-governing regions. Existing disparities in health was previously reported and being immigrant was found to be associated with high caries and obesity prevalence. The main aim of this project is to investigate the efficacy of a common risk dietary intervention to improve parents’ feeding practice, dietary knowledge, perceptions and to reduce childhood caries and obesity. The parents will be recruited from primary health centers located in Vestland County when meeting for their children vaccination and the centers will be divided into intervention and control groups. The inclusion criteria of the participants will be: immigrants having newborn infants (0-6 months) from Non Western Countries, willing to follow the study procedures. Parents not willing to participate or having newborns with serious congenital defects that required frequent oral health control will be excluded. Structured questionnaire in (Norwegian or using interpreter for other languages) will be applied at base line and 24-36 months after baseline to assess parents’ food habits and oral hygiene related knowledge, attitude and behavior. Intervention in form of a common risk diet motivational interviewing and pamphlet translated into different native language will be provided for the intervention group. The control group will receive regular primary care health information. Information given to the intervention group will be provided to the control group at the end of the study. Efficacy of the intervention will be assessed as differences in change in outcome variables: attitudes, knowledge and behaviors related to health and oral health between the intervention and control groups. Further the efficacy of the intervention will be assess by measuring the children body mass index (BMI), early childhood caries (ECC) and Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS).

Funding scheme:

HELSEVEL-Gode og effektive helse-, omsorgs- og velferdstjenester