The Types of Recognition in Parents of Children Oral Care : Q-methodological Approach

아동의 구강관리에 대한 부모들의 인식유형 : Q-방법론적 접근

The purpose of this study was to develop a program of oral health education for children and to furnish basic data contributing to the improvement of children's oral health. In this study, we tried to analyze and discover the types of recognition in parents of children's oral care. With the use of Q-methodology that could systematically and scientifically estimate the subjectivity of humans, 28 parents were collected as a P-sample. 3 general types were discovered. The characteristics of each type were the following: Type 1. "Serious consideration of prevention care type" took a positive attitude to their children's oral care, were knowledgable, and maintained high concern about oral care. They regularly visited dentists for prevention and believed in caries prevention through brushing teeth. They also put high trust in dentists. Type 2. "Disposition by the existing state type" believed that caries could develop even with brushing teeth and could be inherited from parents, Practically, they had a passive attitude to their children's oral care depending on stages and were more concerned with the appearance of dentition than with their children's oral health. Type 3. "Home care-centered type" had less knowledge about children's oral care than the other two types and was careless for teeth prevention. Therefore, they had not intended to participate in the oral health education program.