Comparing fathers’ and mothers’ stunting knowledge and children’s oral health–related quality of life among stunted children

Abstract

Abstract Background Stunting is linked to negative oral health outcomes and can diminish children’s oral health–related quality of life (OHRQoL). Parental roles and perceptions, particularly differences between fathers and mothers, may influence how oral health impacts are recognized and managed. This study aimed to compare fathers’ and mothers’ stunting knowledge and perceptions of children’s OHRQoL among stunted children and to examine the association between parental stunting knowledge and OHRQoL. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted in three subdistricts of Bandung City, Indonesia. Parents of stunted children aged 2–5 years were recruited during Posyandu sessions, followed by home visits to enroll fathers, yielding paired data from both parents of the same child. Stunting knowledge was assessed using a validated questionnaire adopted from prior research, and children’s OHRQoL was measured using the Parental-Caregiver Perceptions Questionnaire (P-CPQ). Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired comparisons and Spearman’s rank correlation for associations. Results A total of 150 parent pairs were included. Fathers and mothers had comparable stunting knowledge scores ( p = 0.112). Mothers reported significantly poorer OHRQoL than fathers ( p < 0.001), with significant differences observed in the oral symptoms ( p < 0.001), functional limitations ( p = 0.026), and emotional well-being domains ( p = 0.002). No significant difference was found in the social well-being domain ( p = 0.229). Parental stunting knowledge was not significantly associated with children’s OHRQoL for either mothers (ρ = 0.144, p = 0.078) or fathers (ρ = 0.098, p = 0.232). Conclusion Although fathers and mothers demonstrated similar levels of stunting knowledge, mothers perceived greater negative impacts of oral health on their children’s quality of life. Parental stunting knowledge was not associated with OHRQoL, underscoring the need for family-centered interventions that engage both parents and address caregiving practices and access to oral health services to improve the quality of life of stunted children.