Oral Health Advices and Illustrations Card for Use in Mother-and-Child Health Clinics: Face and Content Validity

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in Peruvian children is very high especially in sub-urban areas. The dental profession is unable to solve this problem alone. Nurses have close contact with mothers and young children through the mother-and-child health clinics. Educating nurses in providing oral health advises to parents and inspecting teeth of the children regularly might reduce the prevalence of ECC. Supportive educational materials need to be developed and validated to facilitate their counselling actions. Objective: To develop and validate an oral health advisory card and related illustrations for face and content. Methodology: The infant oral health guidelines from the Peruvian Association of Dentistry for Infants (ASPOB) were adapted into statements and related illustrations, and assessed during a focus group meeting. Using the RAND modified e-Delphi consensus method, 60 panel members, covering (non-) dental professionals from 6 Latin-American countries, assessed 14 statements and illustrations for face and content, using a Likert scale (1-9). Consensus was obtained at the 90% mark point. The statements and illustrations were then field tested with 30 parents from a public school to guarantee the understanding of words and graphics used. Results: Two assessment rounds were needed. The response rates were 66.7% and 50%, for round 1 and 2, respectively. At the end of round 1, full agreement on 6 statements and illustrations was obtained. At the end of round 2, the mode value of agreement was 95.2% and concerned 8 statements and illustrations. The maximum value of 100% agreement was reached for 5 statements and illustrations. Consensus was reached for all 14 statements and illustrations. Parents approved the oral health advisory card and related illustrations. Conclusion: The newly developed oral health advisory card and related illustrations were validated for face and content and were accepted by parents.