Exploring Oral Health in Children From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds Using Social Practice Theory Lens: A Scoping Review.

Abstract

Objectives: There is evidence that children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in high-income countries experience a higher burden of oral diseases compared to children from non-CALD backgrounds. Oral disease remains a significant health problem in high-income countries, and the success of current traditional approaches to manage oral diseases has been limited. Thus, it is time to examine other approaches that look beyond the individual and focus on the wide-ranging influences, including context. One such approach is the use of social practice theory (SPT) which examines the 'practice' (an everyday activity), how it happens, and what is required to engage with it. This review aimed to map out oral health-related practices across international literature through the three elements of the SPT framework (materials, meanings and competences) in children from CALD backgrounds in high-income countries.

Methods: This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute's Population, Concept and Context framework. MEDLINE database was initially searched via a librarian guided search strategy to retrieve relevant studies. The words from titles and abstracts from relevant studies and index terms were later used to develop a full search strategy, which was then used to search Scopus, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Public Health Database and Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source. The reference lists from all retrieved studies were screened for any additional relevant studies. Peer-reviewed qualitative and quantitative, mixed-methods and systematic review studies published in English were included. Screening of eligible studies and data extraction was performed in Covidence. Data extracted from each study was analysed and interpreted using Shove's SPT framework.

Results: Thirty-seven studies were included in the review. A number of key oral health-related social practices such as feeding children, sleeping, using a comforter, teeth cleaning and health and care oriented mobility were identified in children from CALD backgrounds along with their three elements: materials, meanings and competences.

Conclusion: Using a SPT lens allowed a new way of exploring family, cultural and community factors and moving away from the restrictive focus on individual behaviour. Focusing future research on these dynamics of practices can provide insights into the impact of barriers and facilitators on their implementation of interventions and identify opportunities for leveraging positive change.