Dental Care-Seeking and Information Acquisition During Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study

Pearl Pei Liu, Weiye Wen, Ka Fung Yu, Xiaoli Gao and May Chun Mei Wong
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Pearl Pei Liu: Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Weiye Wen: Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Ka Fung Yu: Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Xiaoli Gao: Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
May Chun Mei Wong: Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-16

Abstract: Background: Pregnant women are at risk of oral health problems. This qualitative study aims to understand dental care-seeking behaviours of pregnant women and their oral health-related information acquisition, to identify barriers to and motivators for, dental visits, and further explore their expectations and possible strategies to improve oral health care during pregnancy. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 pregnant women (after 32 gestational weeks) enrolled in the antenatal care programme in a public hospital in Hong Kong. Two main areas of interest were probed: Dental care-seeking behaviour and oral health information acquisition. Their expectations and suggestions on oral health care service for pregnant women were also explored. An inductive thematic approach was adopted to analyse the data. Results: Pregnant women’s dental care-seeking behaviour was deterred by some internal factors, such as misunderstandings on oral health, and priority on other issues over oral health. External factors such as inconvenient access to dental service during pregnancy also affected their care-seeking behaviours. Oral health information was passively absorbed by pregnant women through mass media and the social environment, which sometimes led to confusion. Oral health information acquisition from antenatal institutions and care providers was rare. Greater attention was paid to dental visit when they obtained proper information from previous dental visit experience or family members. A potential strategy to improve oral health care suggested by the interviewees is to develop a health care system strengthened by inter-professional (antenatal-dental) collaboration. Efficient oral health information delivery, convenient access to dental service, and improved ‘quality’ of dental care targeting the needs of pregnant women were identified as possible approaches to improve dental care for this population. Conclusion: Dental care-seeking behaviour during pregnancy was altered by various internal and external factors. A lack of, or conflict between, information sources result in confusion that can restrict utilisation of dental service. Integrating dental care into antenatal service would be a viable way to improve dental service utilisation.

Keywords: oral health; dental care seeking; pregnancy; antenatal care; information behaviour; qualitative methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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