Aspects of oral and general health among a community center for the underserved (original) (raw)
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Oral health care needs and oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) in homeless people
Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 2010
Daly B, Newton T, Batchelor P, Jones K. Oral health care needs and oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) in homeless people. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2010. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/SAbstract – Objectives: The aim of this study was (i) to determine the oral health status and oral health care needs of this population, (ii) to assess oral health-related quality of life using OHIP-14 and (iii) to explore whether there is a relationship between oral health status and oral health-related quality of life.Methods: A convenience sample was drawn from eight facilities catering for homeless people in south east London. Participants were invited to attend an outreach dental clinic and receive a clinical oral health and treatment needs assessment. The impact of oral disease was assessed using OHIP-14.Results: There were 102 people from a range of vulnerable housing situations invited to participate in the study. The mean age was 39.5 (SD ± 12.3) and 92% (n = 92) were men. The mean DMFT of dentate participants (n = 94) was 15.5 (SD ± 7.6), mean DT was 4.2 (SD ± 5.2), mean MT was 6.8 (SD ± 6.0) and mean FT was 4.6 (SD ± 4.8). Normative needs were extensive with 76% having a restorative need, 80% having a need for oral hygiene measures and periodontal treatment and 38% having a prosthetic treatment need. Ninety one per cent of homeless people experienced at least one impact and the mean number of impacts (n = 90) was 5.9 (SD ± 4.8).The most commonly experienced oral health-related quality of life impacts were in the dimension of pain, with aching in the mouth having a prevalence of 65% and discomfort while eating foods having a prevalence of 62%. Forty-four per cent felt handicapped by their oral condition. The experience of oral impact had only a slight relationship with clinical status and there were no differences in clinical status or oral impact by vulnerability of housing situation.Conclusions: Oral health care needs were extensive and greater than that of the general population in the UK, although disease levels were similar. While homeless people experienced many more oral impacts (as measured with OHIP-14) compared with adults of the same age in the general population in the UK, there was only a slight relationship with clinical status and oral health-related quality of life.
Special Care in Dentistry, 2008
A survey was administered to 55 homeless adolescents and young adults aged 14 to 28 years who presented for care at a community health center in Seattle, Washington in 2005. Forty-five valid surveys were analyzed. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with self-reported oral health. The most common self-reported dental problem was sensitive teeth (52.6%), followed by discolored teeth (48.6%), toothache (38.5%), or a broken tooth (37.8%). Dental problems were associated with lower self-reported oral health, while non-high school graduates, mixed race youths, and methamphetamine users had significantly higher self-reported oral health. Among homeless youths, addressing dental problems with direct dental care may improve self-perceived oral health. The relationships between methamphetamine use and education level, on the one hand, and self-reported oral health, on the other, are complex and may be modified by age.
Special Care in Dentistry, 2005
This study investigated the perceptions of Swedish homeless people concerning their oral health and perceived consequences of dental treatment. Candid, tape-recorded interviews were conducted in a conversational style. A phenomenological-hermeneutical method was used to analyze the subjects' stories. New participants were recruited into the study, until the interviews provided no additional new information, which occurred after eight interviews. All narratives revealed expressions of loss as well as recovery in the informants' life. Both aspects highlighted the fact that homelessness equated to “loss” not only of a permanent residence but also of many values. Similarly, oral health was described and interpreted in terms of loss and recovery. During periods of drug abuse, study participants ranked oral health as a low priority and generally received only emergency dental attention. In more rehabilitative phases of life, however, they perceived oral health and dental treatment as a function to restore their human dignity and as a key to their holistic recovery of total body health.
Dental health of homeless adults in Toronto, Canada
Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 2012
Objectives: This study aimed to assess the oral health status of the Toronto adult homeless population; to learn how they perceive their own oral health; and to correlate the presence of oral disease with length of homelessness and unemployment. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study collected data from 191 homeless adults who were randomly selected using a stratified cluster sample at 18 shelters. A questionnaire and clinical oral examination were conducted with participants. Results: The mean Decayed/Missing/Filled Teeth (DMFT) score of the subjects was 14.4 (SD = 8.1). Only 32% of them had visited a dentist during the last year, 75% believed that they had untreated dental conditions, and 40% had their last dental visit for emergency care. The clinical oral examination observed that 88% needed fillings, 70% periodontal, 60% prosthodontic, and 40% emergency treatment. Conclusion: Homeless adults in Toronto have poor oral health, significant oral health treatment needs, and a lack of access to dental care.
Oral Health, Related Behaviors and Oral Health Impacts Among Homeless Adults
Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 2006
_ _ _ _ _ ~ Objective: To assess the oral health needs, related behavior and oral health impact among homeless persons in Newark, New Jersey. Methods: Participants represented a convenience sample of adults (~4 6 ) participating in Homeless Services Day, an annual event sponsored by the Homeless Services Division of the Newark, NJ Department of Health and Human Services. Their mean age was 40.4 yr (SD=lO.O), and 51.1% were female. The majority (76%) reported African-American ethnicity; remaining participants self-identified as Hispanic, White or Asian. Participants reported being homeless for a median of 11 months, with a range of I to 108 months. Results: The 46 participants had 745 teeth (averaged 16.2 per person) that were either missing, had fillings or had untreated decay. Diseased teeth averaged 3.8 per person; missing teeth averaged 8.6 per person; and filled teeth averaged 3.7 per person. Only 28.3% had a dental visit in the past year. Approximately 87% reported negative oral health impacts impact: over half (55.6%) had current oral facial pain and two-thirds of our participants reported having dentalrelated face pain during the past year. Additional oral health impacts included: eating (42%), smiling (33%), concentrating (18%) and talking (1 6%). Conclusions: Consistent with other studies, this homeless sample presented with considerable oral health needs. Newark's homeless, like other homeless cohorts, face access to care and negative oral health impacts. This study informs the need for future research that can provide substantive evidence for care providers and policy makers.
Oral health status and possible explanatory factors of an inner-city low-income community
Journal of Dental Sciences, 2017
Background/purpose: Individuals with low income bear a number of health challenges to healthcare services. Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES) is known to be a lowincome community in a metropolitan city. Because it is difficult to reach, the oral health (OH) status of these residents is unknown. The objectives of this study are (1) to design a tool and strategy to collect OH information in a low-income community, (2) to characterize the OH status and related factors among low-income adults, and (3) to identify the explanatory factors for their OH status. Materials and methods: Mobile screening clinics were established in the gathering centers of the DTES, and those of 19 years of age or older were recruited. Data were collected through survey interviews and clinical examinations. Potential explanatory factors were investigated by regression analysis. Results: The 356 screened participants were mostly males, middle-aged, less educated, and living with low income (CAD$20,000/y). About 80% had dental coverage, mostly from public programs (94%). Many (86%) perceived a dental need. Among dentate participants (n Z 306), on average, 3.8 decayed, 8.6 missing, 4.9 filled teeth, and a care index of 41.5% were observed. Social factors (barriers to care and length of DTES residence), dental hygiene (brushing/flossing), and personal (hepatitis C virus infection/methadone usage) factors contributed to their care index level. Conclusion: This is the first time that comprehensive information regarding OH status has been collected from a low-income, inner-city community in Canada. Further investigations in the
Evaluation of Mobile and Community Dental Service Use among People Experiencing Homelessness
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The aim of the study was to evaluate the patterns of mobile and community dental service use among people experiencing homelessness in Bratislava, Slovakia. Data from medical records of homeless people who visited the mobile and community dental clinic from November 2012 to July 2018 have been retrospectively reviewed. The experience of providing dental services has been reported from the perspective of the dental care provider. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. In total, 319 patients (75.5% men) attended the clinic. Extraction of a tooth was the main dental treatment indicated in more than 80% (n = 276) of patients. A total of 363 teeth were extracted with an average number of 1.6 extracted teeth per patient. The main indications for extraction were dental caries and its sequelae (83.7%) and periodontal disease (15.2%). The patients with the need for prosthetic and conservative treatment were referred to the clinics at University Hospital; however, only 19 patient...