Communication Models to Create Participation in the Campaign of Early Childhood Oral Hygiene Development, Thailand

Abstract

        The objectives of this research were 1) to study the context that affected the success of communication to create participation in the campaign for early childhood oral hygiene development in Thailand; 2) to describe the communication process used; and 3) to recommend communication models that would better create participation in the campaign. 

        This research used mixed methods. For the qualitative part in-depth interviews were held with 15 key informants from 3 groups: 1) 9 directors of schools, comprising Kreua Khai Klang Kru Wiang Samphan School in Nakhon Pathom Province and nearby schools; 2) 4 Public Health Department officials, comprising both academics and dentists; and 3) 2 representatives of communities, comprising the village headmen of Sam Phran District and Nakhon Chai Sri District. The key informants were chosen by purposive sampling, selecting directors of schools that had received the award for excellence in having students with good dental health in 2015, and public health officials who were experts in pediatric oral health at health stations, hospitals or provincial public health offices in the zones where the selected schools were located, and for community representatives, selecting community leaders. The data collecting tool was a semi-structured interview form. Data were analyzed through descriptive analysis. For the quantitative part, the sample population, chosen through purposive sampling, was 358 parents/guardians and teachers of students at Kreua Khai Klang Kru Wiang Samphan School. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.

        The results showed that 1) the context that affected success in achieving good dental hygiene among early childhood school students comprised (a) family, (b) school, (c) oral health promotion activities, (d), public relations, (e) participation building, and (f) factors of success. External factors of success, were policy, environment/community, parents’ and teachers’ beliefs, public relations and related network management respectively. Internal factors of success were, methods of managing the children’s oral hygiene and dental checkups at hospitals or clinics respectively.2) The communication process was composed of : (a) the message senders, i.e. schools, hospitals, and sub-district health stations; (b) the content, i.e. methods to prevent and treat oral health problems in children; (c) communication channels, i.e. teachers, dentists, pamphlets, websites, training sessions, activities with an emphasis on storytelling, and the communication strategies that were most used, meaning network work and participation; and (d) the results/impact of communication, i.e. spreading of correct information and improvement of attitudes and behavior related to good oral hygiene in children. 3) The recommended communication models are organizational communication with both two-way and one-way communication from policy makers down to operators at the school, family and community level.