Development of oral health promotion model for preschool children by family and community participation in Kham Pom Child Care Center, Phra Yuen District, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

The aim of this action research was to develop a model for promoting oral health in preschool children by family and community participation in Kham Pom Child Care Center, Phra Yuen, Khon Kaen from August 2020 to March 2021. The participants consisted of 158 people were recruited including local administrative officers, members of the Child Care Center committee, teachers, public health officers, parents and children. Qualitative data were collected from interviews, group discussions and analyzed using content analysis. Quantitative data were collected from questionnaire and oral health survey form and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Paired sample t-test was used to compare the difference between before and after the development.

           Results: In the participation planning using the AIC process, the participants have developed a model for promoting oral health. Key outcomes included; 1) Oral health promotion strategies were developed from family-based approach and community-based approach; 2) the Achievement of the oral health agreement including; announcing the healthy nutrition roles and encouraging activities to promote child oral health behaviours in the home and Child Care Centre; 3) Oral Health Surveillance campaign in the community. In addition, the score of knowledge, attitude and practice of parents were increased significantly (p<0.001), the Plaque Index score of preschool children were decreased significantly (p<0.001) and the Cavity free of preschool children were increased. The key success factors of the oral health promotion were not only the participation of the family and community in all activities that operated in the area but also the continuity of parents participation by the Surveillance campaign in the community too.