Oral health program preferences among pregnant women in a managed care organization.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to understand the oral health information preferences of pregnant women and new mothers. METHODS: This study was conducted at a Minnesota managed care organization. A random sample of 250 women with public program insurance and 250 privately insured women was selected from the population of pregnant women in the claims systems. The study consisted of a mailed survey and phone contact to nonresponders. The analytic sample consisted of 123 public-pay and 127 private-pay respondents. Descriptive statistics summarize the preferences for oral health care topics. RESULTS: Receiving information by mail was preferred by both groups. Women favored information concerning infant-specific oral health more than information on both mother and infant oral health. While public-pay respondents had more enthusiasm for many topics, the topic preference rankings within each sample were similar. CONCLUSION: Similarities in program preferences suggest that common interventions could be designed that would appeal to both groups without extensive tailoring.