Oral Health Disparities of Children among Southeast Asian Immigrant Women in Arranged Transnational Marriages in Taiwan

Abstract

This study assessed the oral health disparities and oral health care needs of children whose parents are Southeast Asian immigrant women in arranged transnational marriages. We used the baseline data of the Lay Health Advisor Approach to Promote Oral Health Program (LHA-POHP) to explore the disparities in oral health between immigrant and native children, and the factors associated with their oral health. A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted to collect data from mothers and their preschool children in Southern Taiwan in 2011. A total of 590 (440 natives, 150 immigrants) children aged 4-6 years and their mothers completed the questionnaire and oral examination. Multiple regression models were used to analyze the association between children's oral health and their related factors. The caries index was 6.05 in immigrant children and 3.88 in native children (p < 0.001). The caries prevalence of maxillary anterior teeth in the labial surfaces was higher among immigrants, ranging from 14.7 to 22%. The factor associated with children's caries index was maternal tooth brushing frequency (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 8.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95-41.05). When the mothers did not direct children to brush teeth after eating sweets, their children were more likely to have decayed teeth (aOR = 3.54, 95% CI 1.04-12.03). Children's filled teeth were related to their dental regular check-ups (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.26-4.10). Disparities in oral health among immigrant and native children were observed. The findings suggest that culturally adequate oral health promotion intervention programs should be implemented for immigrants.

Immigrant–Native Differences in Sugar-Sweetened Beverage and Snack Consumption and Preventive Behaviors Associated with Severe Early Childhood Caries: A Large-Scale Survey in Taiwan

“…Currently, the prevalence of interdental caries in young Taiwanese children is high. However, less than half of parents in Taiwan use dental floss to clean their children’s interdental surfaces [8,9,16]. Similarly, in this study, regardless of the group, just 22% of immigrant parents and 41% of native parents used dental floss to clean their children’s interdental surfaces.…”

“…A significantly higher number of children with immigrant parents had untreated caries teeth, compared with native children, and almost one out of three had SECC. Nevertheless, the average number of filled teeth was low in immigrants, which demonstrated that the immigrant children had worse oral health and higher dental treatment requirements [9]. Children from minority families have worse oral health outcomes and use oral healthcare services less frequently.…”

“…This segregation gradually resulted in inferior medical care for these women and their children [7]. Recent studies reported that immigrant mothers have less caries-related knowledge, a negative attitude toward oral hygiene, and less frequent positive oral health behavior [8], and the primary dentition caries experience is significantly higher among immigrant children, indicating disparities between the oral health of immigrants and native children [9].…”

The Primary Care of Immigrant Workers and Their Associated Characteristics within A Taiwanese Fishing Community

“…In Taiwan, there have been several previous studies regarding medical care for immigrant workers and new residents (immigrants by marriage) since the introduction of policy for receiving immigrant workers in 1992. However, most of the local studies have focused on the health of immigrant women and their children, such as peripartum/postpartum care, oral health, and transcultural adaptation and psychological illness [10,11,12,13]. Studies into immigrant fishermen’s health and their medical care remain scarce and are universally ignored by the media.…”

Evaluating the Effect of a Community-Based Lay Health Advisor Training Curriculum to Address Immigrant Children's Caries Disparities

“…However, no such approach had been applied in the oral health-care field. The 5-year Lay Health Advisor Approach to Promote Oral Health Program (LHA-POHP) was first implemented in Kaohsiung area in 2011, Taiwan Lin et al, 2014]. It was designed to reduce or eliminate caries disparities in access to dental care in preschool children of Southeast Asian immigrant women.…”