Parents oral health literacy and childrens oral health a systematic review and strategic analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62697/rmiie.v5i2.325Keywords:
Health literacy, oral health, dental caries, child preschool, systematic reviewAbstract
This study aimed to collect and systematize the available information on the relationship between parents' oral health literacy and the oral health status of their preschool and school-age children. A situational analysis was additionally incorporated to identify priority lines of action for the Latin American context. The search was conducted in PubMed, SciELO and Google Academic databases using MeSH descriptors and Boolean operators. Studies published between 2019 and 2024 in English, Spanish and Portuguese were included. Thirteen cross-sectional studies met the eligibility criteria and were analyzed. To complement the evidence synthesis, a SWOT-Action strategic analysis was applied, constructed from the findings of the included studies. Seven of the thirteen studies reported an association between parents' oral health literacy level and the presence of caries in their children; four investigations found an inverse relationship, and two studies found no statistically significant association. The SWOT analysis identified weaknesses related to the heterogeneity of measurement instruments and external threats associated with adverse social determinants. The derived Action matrix proposed differentiated strategies according to level of intervention. The review confirmed that an association exists between low parental oral health literacy and poor oral health status in their children. The complementary situational analysis provided an applied interpretation that transcends associative description and offers concrete pathways for intervention in resource-limited contexts.
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