Methods: The first intervention was a descriptive quasi-experimental study utilizing a pre-test post-test method, with a convenience sample of 425 Head Start (HS) caregivers from seven program sites in South Florida. The HS enrolled, English speaking family, attended one of 18 oral health educational programs. Research questions addressed the relationship between the oral health educational program and prior related behavior, personal factors, behavior-specific cognitions and affect, knowledge, and intent. Caregivers completed the demographic survey and oral health behavior questionnaire, a knowledge pre-test, then viewed a 16- minute video designed by Colgate®, and completed another knowledge post-test. The second intervention was an innovative PowerPoint-style musical program, with the aim of enhancing knowledge retention in caregivers. The OHEP not only provided information on the devastating outcomes of poor OH during the preschool years, but also on preventive OH behaviors and practices. Caregivers completed a demographic questionnaire, a knowledge pre-test, viewed the OHEP, and completed the knowledge post-test. There were two additional post-tests given two weeks apart to evaluate knowledge retention.
Results: The first intervention showed that there was an overall significant effect on caregivers’ prior related behaviors, r = .43, p (two-tailed) < .01; behavior-specific cognitions and affect, r = .43, p (two-tailed) < .01; intention to provide oral health care for their children, r = .27, p (two-tailed) < .01; and post-test for knowledge of oral health care (M = 60.57, SE = .30) compared to pre-test for knowledge (M = 59.03, SE = .26), t (399) = -6.35, p < .01, r = .30). On average, the second intervention showed that there was no significant difference between pre-educational program scores on knowledge M = 43.52 (sd = 3.72) and post-educational program scores M = 44.05 (sd = 3.79), t(16) = -.376, p > .05, r = .71. Additionally, the second post-educational program scores were not significant M = 42.71 (sd = 3.26), t(13) = .485, p > .05, r = .63 nor the third post-educational program scores M = 44.07 (sd = 3.04), t(13) = -.770, p > .05, r= .45.
Conclusions: Educational programs have a positive impact on caregivers to increase knowledge and intent to perform preventive oral health-promoting behaviors in this underserved population. an oral health educational program is beneficial to its participants, as stated in the review of the literature, the results of this study suggested that this sample was already an educated one, and thus, the improvement from their high level of preexisting knowledge was not significant. Nursing practice will implement educational programs for caregivers and the opportunity to affect global change and governmental policy that supports oral health care services for young children, as indicated by Healthy People 2020.