Abstract
To explore factors affecting children’s dental attendance among new immigrants. Participants in this cross-sectional study were 314 new immigrant child-parent pairs. Parents’ demographics, oral health knowledge, perceptions, child’s caries status, and oral health behaviours were analysed as determinants for dental attendance. Only 43 % of children had a dental visit within the year. Parents believing in the effectiveness of parental checking were four times more likely to seek dental care for their child [adjusted OR (adOR) 4.48, 95 % CI 1.79–11.13]. Parents perceiving dental check-up as a painful experience were 67 % less likely to visit the dentist (adOR 0.33, 95 % CI 0.17–0.63). Lack of insurance and time reduced the odds of a dental visit by 65 and 59 %, respectively (adOR 0.35, 95 % CI 0.16–0.68; adOR 0.41, 95 % CI 0.12–0.99). The care-seeking behaviour of new immigrant children was determined by parents’ perceived ability to detect caries, availability of time and dental insurance, and their perceived dental experience.
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Acknowledgments
M. ElSalhy is supported by Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions (AIHS) Clinician Fellowship (RES0027148) and the Honorary Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship at University of Alberta. We are grateful to all the children and parents/guardians who participated in the study as well as community settlement agencies who facilitated our data collection.
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Amin, M., ElSalhy, M. Factors Affecting Dental Attendance of Children of New Immigrant Parents: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Immigrant Minority Health 19, 1351–1361 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-016-0441-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-016-0441-z