Oral health promotion in Gauteng: a qualitative study

One of the aims of the South African Oral Health Promotion Framework is to integrate oral health promotion activities into general health promotion using the Common Risk Factor Approach (CRFA). Though policies have directed that oral health should be integrated into general health promotion in South Africa, little is known about the implementation of the CRFA in daily oral health promotion practice.

This study aimed to assess how health promoters in Gauteng integrate oral health into their general health promotion activities.

The objectives were (i) to describe how health promoters undertake health promotion in Gauteng; (ii) to describe how health promoters incorporate oral health promotion into health promotion activities; and (iii) to describe the opportunities and challenges for health promoters in applying the CRFA.

This was a qualitative study and data were collected using semi-structured interviews. A purposive sample of 10 formally trained health promoters agreed to be interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Participants' work was centred mostly on healthy lifestyle campaigns and there was little integration of oral health into health promotion activities. While most health promoters had an understanding of the CRFA, this understanding was not common amongst other levels of management. Oral health literacy was low and health promoters perceived few opportunities for using a CRFA when weighed against other priorities such as poverty and HIV/AIDS.

Currently there is little evidence of integration of oral health into general health promotion activities.