Health visitors as dental health educators: their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours

Abstract

THIS study examines health visitors' dental health knowledge, their attitudes and their personal dental health and working behaviours. Eighty-four per cent of health visitors employed in 1991 by the Western Health and Social Services Board in Northern Ireland participated in this study. The results suggested that their knowledge of dental health was high but there was confusion over some topics. Similarly, their atti tudes appeared positive, but many of them admitted only to giving dental health education if they felt the mother would be receptive. Personal health be haviours were not closely associated with working behaviour. The study demonstrates that while health visitors have the necessary qualities to act as dental health educators there is still a need to facili tate and improve their knowledge and attitudes to enable them to be effective dental health educators.