Oral Health Beliefs, Attitudes, and Practices of Albanian Immigrants in the United States

Abstract

Research indicates a high prevalence of oral disease among Albanians. There is a lack of evidence regarding oral health beliefs and practices among Albanian immigrants in the United States and abroad. This research seeks to better understand the oral health beliefs, attitudes, and practices among Albanian immigrants living in the United States. A descriptive study was employed with a purposive sample (n = 211) of Albanian adult immigrants. A cross-sectional validated questionnaire was provided in both English and Albanian, with a response rate of 66 %. Results revealed a high use of dental services among respondents, with 68 % reported as having a dental visit and cleaning within the past year. Although 25 % of participants stated their parents and grandparents have used folk remedies, 88 % of them stated that use of folk remedies did not influence their decision to seek professional dental care. Increasing age was inversely associated with the belief in the importance of retaining natural teeth, as older respondents were less likely to agree with the prior statement; older respondents were more likely to agree with the statement “bleeding gums are normal.” Low oral health care access and utilization was not a factor among the majority of the Albanian immigrants studied. Focusing on providing age appropriate oral health education and behavioral strategies could increase oral health knowledge and potentially improve poor oral health status among this population.