Preventing baby bottle tooth decay in American Indian and Alaska native communities: a model for planning

摘要: Baby bottle tooth decay (BBTD) is a preventable dental disease which surveys have shown affects more than 50 percent of Native American children. An experimental program to prevent BBTD was implemented in 12 communities. The project represented cooperative effort by three Department Health and Human Service agencies: Administration for Children, Youth, Families, Head Start Bureau; Indian Service, Dental Program; Centers Disease Control, Prevention Activity. Intervention strategies included the training parent volunteers, health professionals, tribal employees who counseled caretakers young children made group presentations. There also media campaign each community that ran 3-year period. Numerous educational materials were developed including manuals, counseling booklets, tippee cups, posters, bumper stickers. project's planners encouraged tailoring education fit community. Preliminary results documented statistically significant decreases prevalence at pilot sites. This multidisciplinary, comprehensive intervention offers model organizing members minority communities problems.