Healthy family traditions and personal health assets - salutogenic resources for oral health among young adults in vulnerable communities in South Africa: a qualitative study.

backgroundDental caries is a global public health problem with persistent inequalities. Research with a salutogenic perspective, as in, a focus on health factors, can provide important knowledge to be used in health promotion. The aim was to explore salutogenic resources among dental caries-free young adults living in vulnerable communities in South Africa.

methodsA total of 32 participants (28 females, 4 males, mean age 26.2 years) with no previous caries experience were purposively recruited from two under-resourced townships. The qualitative data from interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed via qualitative content analysis.

resultsThe resulting theme, A salutogenic foundation for oral health: preservation of traditions and use of personal health assets as protection against challenges, comprised two categories: (1) Individual health assets and early intergenerational learning, and (2) Ability to apply learned health strategies. Having individual health assets and tools for coping, early learning experiences by positive family influence, being exposed to healthy traditions during hardships, and the ability to apply learned health strategies were important salutogenic resources. Together, these resources formed a salutogenic foundation for oral health which enabled individuals to develop healthy routines, make healthy choices for oral health, and maintain oral health when encountering challenges and hardships.

conclusionsSalutogenic resources for oral health empowered individuals from vulnerable communities to maintain oral health. This suggests that future health promotion interventions should be considered and directed at multiple levels, targeting individual, family, community, and structural factors to promote sustainable oral health.