Study protocol for First Dental Steps Intervention: feasibility study of a health visitor led infant oral health improvement programme

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Study Protocol

Joanna G. Williams¹  Patricia N. Albers¹  Ruth Kipping¹  Katie Breheny¹  Chris Metcalfe¹  Frank de Vocht²  Rebecca Kandiyali³  Robert Witton⁴  Reena Patel⁵  Zoe Marshman⁶  Sarab El-Yousfi⁶ 

[1] Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, England;Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, England;NIHR ARC West, Bristol, England;Centre for Health Economics (CHEW), Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, England;Faculty of Health: Medicine, Dentistry and Human Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, England;Healthcare Public Health Directorate, NHS England and NHS Improvement South West, Bristol, England;School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England;

关键词: Oral health;    Dental caries;    Health visiting;    Public health nursing;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s40814-022-01195-w

 received in 2022-02-01, accepted in 2022-10-31,  发布年份 2022

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundDental caries in childhood is a burden on the daily lives of children and their families, and associated with poor oral health in adulthood. In England, dental caries is the most common reason for young children to be admitted to hospital. It is believed that most tooth extractions (due to decay) for children aged 10 years and under, could be avoided with improved prevention and early management. National public health policy recommendations in England include specific oral health initiatives to tackle tooth decay. One of these initiatives is delivered as part of the Healthy Child Programme and includes providing workforce training in oral health, integrating oral health advice into home visits, and the timely provision of fluoride toothpaste. This protocol seeks to assess the delivery of the First Dental Steps intervention and uncertainties related to the acceptability, recruitment, and retention of participants.MethodsThis study seeks to explore the feasibility and acceptability of the First Dental Steps intervention and research methods. First Dental Steps intervention will be delivered in local authority areas in South West England and includes oral health training for health visitors (or community nursery nurses) working with 0–5-year-olds and their families. Further, for vulnerable families, integrating oral health advice and the provision of an oral health pack (including a free flow cup, an age appropriate toothbrush, and 1450 ppm fluoride toothpaste) during a mandated check by a health visitor. In this study five local authority areas will receive the intervention. Interviews with parents receiving the intervention and health visitors delivering the intervention will be undertaken, along with a range of additional interviews with stakeholders from both intervention and comparison sites (four additional local authority areas).DiscussionThis protocol was written after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as a result, some of the original methods were adjusted specifically to account for disruptions caused by the pandemic. Results of this study will primarily provide evidence on the acceptability and feasibility of both the First Dental Steps intervention and the research methods from the perspective of both families and stakeholders.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2022

【 图 表 】

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