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Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
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13-11-2024 | Caries | Review Paper

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions Targeted to Parents for Improving the Oral Health of Children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Backgrounds

Authors: Sudheer Babu Balla, Nikolaos Angelakopoulos, Jyothi Tadakamadla, Santosh Kumar Tadakamadla

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 2/2025

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Abstract

A high prevalence of dental caries is a significant health problem, especially in the pediatric population. Low-income minority groups, including the refugee and immigrant populations, are at higher risk of compromised oral health. It has been suggested that migrant parents do not have enough understanding of oral health, risk factors associated with dental caries, or the progress of dental decay. This systematic review aims to study quantitative literature on oral health interventions, health promotion programs, or behaviour change interventions targeting the parents/ caregivers of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) children. A systematic search of electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, PUBMED, CINAHL, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, COCHRANE, and PROQUEST, was conducted until August 2023. Randomised (RCT) or non-randomised controlled trials (NRCTs) were included. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of the included studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools. Meta-analysis was performed as appropriate. The initial search from the databases retrieved 2073 articles. After the removal of duplicates, 1683 articles remained. Finally, 69 articles were reviewed in full text, and 15 articles were considered eligible in this review. The RoB assessment for RCTs rated three as low-risk and three as high-risk. The serious RoB in these NRCTs mostly pertained to measurement bias based on self-reporting oral health behaviours. The meta-analysis pooling of results (for RCTs and NRCTs) favoured interventions for CALD parents’ oral health knowledge [0.73 (95% CI, 0.08 to 1.38) for RCTs, 1.73 (95% CI; 1.45 to 2.02) for NRCTs] and attitudes [0.86 (95% CI, 0.31 to 1.42)]. Relatively high heterogeneity was observed. Oral health educational interventions can be effective in improving the oral health literacy of CALD parents’ oral health knowledge and attitudes, especially when facilitated by lay health advisors. However, the low quality of evidence due to high heterogeneity and high RoB further highlighted the need for well-designed RCTs targeting CALD parents.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Interventions Targeted to Parents for Improving the Oral Health of Children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Backgrounds
Authors
Sudheer Babu Balla
Nikolaos Angelakopoulos
Jyothi Tadakamadla
Santosh Kumar Tadakamadla
Publication date
13-11-2024
Publisher
Springer US
Keyword
Caries
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 2/2025
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-024-01650-1

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