Abstract
From 1990 to 2000, the North Carolina Hispanic population increased 394%. This new growth brought challenging health care issues, especially to rural areas areas of North Carolina. The North Carolina Institute of Medicine reported oral health as a major problem for this population. The purpose of this study was to examine oral health, as well as perceived needs, of Hispanics residing in Siler City, NC, a microcosm of the flourishing Latino growth found especially in the southeastern United States. A convenience sample of 158 Hispanic adults was recruited from the largest Siler City Hispanic church. A 41-item Spanish language survey was utilized. Multiple choice questions and Likert-type scales addressed preventive oral health practices, oral health knowledge and beliefs, perceived needs, and demographic information. Frequencies and bivariate analyses were obtained using SAS 9. After excluding 5 surveys, a total of 153 were analyzed. The mean age was 33.8 years, females comprised 54% of the sample, 84% of respondents were of Mexican origin, and the mean time residing in the United States was 8.9 years. The following associations were found statistically significant (p < .05): (1) brushing frequency and belief that healthy gums bleed; (2) dental insurance and frequency of dental visits; (3) individualy teaching the participant to brush or floss, participant's reported brushing or flossing, and dental visit frequency. This pilot study provided important baseline information to begin addressing issues related to oral health, and is being used to aid local providers in the implementation of culturally-sensitive public health oral hygiene programs, thereby helping in the elimination of oral health disparities. Findings from this study call attention to the importance of educating the Hispanic population about oral health practices and compliance. Further studies including a random survey and larger sample size may be necessary.
- Copyright © 2007 The American Dental Hygienists' Association
