Perceptions of susceptibility to oral health hazards: a study of women in different cultures

Abstract

Abstract– People typically attribute lower health risks to themselves than to others, a phenomenon called unrealistic optimism. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate how women's perceived susceptibility to tooth decay is related to information from various sources, trust in these sources and personal experience with risk factors. Comparative risk judgments for oral health hazards were also investigated. Methods: Two samples of women were included. In 1997, a random sample of adults (n=1190) aged 25 years, from three counties of western Norway, were invited to complete postal questionnaires at home. A total of 735 adults (62%) responded, of whom 374 (51%) were women. During July 1997, a convenient sample of 140 women, aged 15–40 years, participated in a structured interview at a Maternal Child Health clinic in Arusha town, Tanzania. Results: Among the Tanzanian women, information from health workers and media, trust in these sources, symptoms of tooth decay and intake of sugared foods were significantly related to perceived risk for tooth decay. Pearson's correlation coefficients varied from r=0.47, P < 0.001 (trust in health workers) to r=0.20, P < 0.05 (intake of sugared foods). In both groups of women all mean ratings of comparative risk differed significantly (P < 0.001) from the midpoint of the scales (marked same risk as others), as tested by one sample t‐test (test value=0). The range of t‐values was from t=–12.7 (dental fluorosis) to t=–18.2 (tooth decay) and from t=–4.9 (gum disease) to t=–8.3 (loss of teeth) among the Tanzanian and Norwegian women, respectively. Conclusions: When judging their susceptibility for tooth decay, Tanzanian women seem to consider both information from health workers and their personal risk experience. Optimism in comparative risk judgments for oral health hazards was evident among both the Tanzanian and the Norwegian women investigated. These findings are discussed in the context of implications for oral health education.