‘Beyond the dentist’: role of schools in improving oral health of children attending Islamic boarding schools in Pakistan: a qualitative study with parents and teachers.
1
Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Melbourne, Australia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2808
ABSTRACT
AIM:
This qualitative study aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions and ideas of parents and teachers to improve oral health of the children living in Islamic boarding schools in Pakistan.
METHODS:
A qualitative study was conducted in May-June 2024 in four Islamic boarding in Lahore, Pakistan. Purposive sampling was utilized to recruit participants for the study. Ethics approval was taken from Human Research Ethics Committee of Federation University Australia and University of Punjab, Pakistan. Thematic analysis was done to identify major themes in the collected data.
RESULTS:
Three focused group discussions comprising of 7-10 participants per session with teachers, and 17 in-depth interviews with parents were conducted. Three major themes emerged from the data: teaching about oral health, provision of teeth-cleaning products to children, and other positive steps that can be taken by the schools. The participants also discussed their own oral hygiene routine, dental problems faced by their families, and how they manage to resolve them.
CONCLUSIONS:
The study findings concludes that children’s oral health behaviours are affected by their parents and teachers at school. Religio-cultural influences impact oral hygiene habits and schools should assist in providing regular access to dental products and dental services for the children living in Islamic boarding schools.
This qualitative study aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions and ideas of parents and teachers to improve oral health of the children living in Islamic boarding schools in Pakistan.
METHODS:
A qualitative study was conducted in May-June 2024 in four Islamic boarding in Lahore, Pakistan. Purposive sampling was utilized to recruit participants for the study. Ethics approval was taken from Human Research Ethics Committee of Federation University Australia and University of Punjab, Pakistan. Thematic analysis was done to identify major themes in the collected data.
RESULTS:
Three focused group discussions comprising of 7-10 participants per session with teachers, and 17 in-depth interviews with parents were conducted. Three major themes emerged from the data: teaching about oral health, provision of teeth-cleaning products to children, and other positive steps that can be taken by the schools. The participants also discussed their own oral hygiene routine, dental problems faced by their families, and how they manage to resolve them.
CONCLUSIONS:
The study findings concludes that children’s oral health behaviours are affected by their parents and teachers at school. Religio-cultural influences impact oral hygiene habits and schools should assist in providing regular access to dental products and dental services for the children living in Islamic boarding schools.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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