Addressing disparities in oral disease in Aboriginal people in Victoria: where to focus preventive programs

The aim of this study is to determine where Aboriginal people living in Victoria attend public oral health services; whether they access Aboriginal-specific or mainstream services; and the gap between dental caries (tooth decay) experience in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Analysis was undertaken on routinely collected clinical data for Aboriginal patients attending Victorian public oral health services and the distribution of Aboriginal population across Victoria. Approximately 27% of Aboriginal people attended public oral health services in Victoria across a 2-year period, with approximately one in five of those accessing care at Aboriginal-specific clinics. In regional Victoria, 6-year-old Aboriginal children had significantly higher levels of dental caries than 6-year-old non-Aboriginal children. There was no significant difference in other age groups. This study is the first to report where Aboriginal people access public oral health care in Victoria and the disparity in disease between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal users of the Victorian public oral healthcare system. Aboriginal people largely accessed mainstream public oral healthcare clinics highlighting the importance for culturally appropriate services and prevention programs to be provided across the entire public oral healthcare system. The findings will guide development of policy and models of care aimed at improving the oral health of Aboriginal people living in Victoria.

Download Full-text

Does the implementation of a national oral health policy reduce inequalities in oral health services utilization? The Brazilian experience

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10586-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Maria Helena Rodrigues Galvão ◽

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli

Keyword(s):

Health Policy ◽

Oral Health ◽

Health Services ◽

Health Services Utilization ◽

Age Groups ◽

Public Access ◽

Services Utilization ◽

Index Of Inequality ◽

Oral Health Services ◽

Oral Health Policy

Abstract Background This study aimed to assess the trend in income-related inequalities in oral health services utilization by the Brazilian population from 1998 to 2013. This period represents a timeline that includes different stages of implementation of the National Oral Health Policy. Methods The design was based on repeated cross-sectional surveys using secondary data from household-based studies carried out in Brazil in 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013. The dependent variable was “having access to a dentist appointment at least once in a lifetime (yes/no).” Monthly household per capita income, based on Brazil’s minimum wage, was included as the main independent variable. To measure the inequalities in oral health access related to economic position, the following complex indexes based on regression were used: (a) the slope index of inequality (SII) and (b) the relative index of inequality (RII). Results There was a reduction in the percentage of individuals who never had a dentist appointment for all age groups and income classifications. In general, there was a reduction trend in absolute inequality for all age groups (p < 0.001). The relative inequality and reduction trend were different between the age groups studied. Conclusions The National Oral Health Policy was very important for expanding free of charge, public access to dental appointment. However, despite policy implementation, there continues to be high levels of inequality in access to dental consultation. Assessing which strategies are necessary to overcome this challenge is discussed.

Download Full-text

Impact of dental caries on quality of life of adolescents according to access to oral health services: a cross sectional study

Brazilian Journal of Oral Sciences ◽

10.20396/bjos.v15i1.8647090 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Angela Xavier ◽

Érica Silva de Carvalho ◽

Roosevelt da Silva Bastos ◽

Magali de Lourdes Caldana ◽

Patrícia Ribeiro Mattar Damiance ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Public Schools ◽

Oral Health ◽

Dental Caries ◽

Health Services ◽

Dental Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Oral Health Services

Aim: This study presents the prevalence of dental caries and its relation to the quality of life of adolescents according to the access to dental health services. Methods: Two hundred and fifty-six adolescents between 15 and 19 years of age participated in the study; they were all enrolled in public schools in a countryside municipality of the São Paulo State. Data related to dental caries were evaluated by the DMFT Index, and OHIP-14 was used for evaluating the quality of life. Mann Whitney and Spearmann correlation tests were also used (p<0.05). Results: A DMFT of 3.09 (±3.30) was found with a higher prevalence among the adolescents who used public dental services (3.43±3.34) compared with those who used private services (2.94±3.28). A statistically significant relationship between the decay component of DMFT with physical pain (0.020), physical disability (0.002) and quality of life (0.017) was verified. Conclusions: A low prevalence of dental caries was observed, and it was higher in adolescents who used public oral health services rather than private ones, evidencing the low influence of oral health on the quality of life of the participants.

Download Full-text

Dental Caries Experience and Utilization of Oral Health Services Among Tibetan Refugee-Background Children in Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, India

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health ◽

10.1007/s10903-018-0769-7 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 461-465 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sumeet Bhatt ◽

Ambika Gaur

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Dental Caries ◽

Health Services ◽

Himachal Pradesh ◽

Caries Experience ◽

Tibetan Refugee ◽

Oral Health Services

Download Full-text

Effects of Physician-Based Preventive Oral Health Services on Dental Caries

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.2014-2775d ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 136 (1) ◽

pp. X12-X12

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Dental Caries ◽

Health Services ◽

Oral Health Services

Download Full-text

The Relationship Between Knowledge and Assessment of Pregnant Women with the Utilization of Dental Health Services

Health Notions ◽

10.33846/hn40603 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (6) ◽

pp. 177-179

Author(s):

Aprilia Martha Bakoil ◽

Dinah Charlota Lerik ◽

Sabina Gero

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Oral Health ◽

Health Services ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Dental Health ◽

Oral Disease ◽

Health Maintenance ◽

Dental Health Services ◽

Oral Health Services ◽

The Relationship

Improving the optimal health status requires commitment and continuous effort so that a sub-standard development goals (SDGS) program is formed, one of which aims to tackle health problems in pregnant women. Dental and oral disease during pregnancy is a public health problem. The incidence of dental and oral diseases during this period is due to a lack of knowledge about oral health maintenance. The low use of service facilities by the community is related to treatment seeking behavior and ill-health concepts from the community. The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship of knowledge and assessment of pregnant women with the use of dental health services at the Dental Clinic at the Health Centers in Kupang City. The design of this research was cross-sectional. The samples were 250 respondents, selected using proportional random sampling technique. Data were collected using a questionnaire as an instrument, then analyzed using ordinal regression test. Based on the data analysis results, it could be concluded that there was relationship between knowledge and assessment of pregnant women with the utilization of dental and oral health services in Public Health Center in Kupang City. Keywords: knowledge; pregnant women; utilization; dental and oral health services

Download Full-text

Factors influencing the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community in Australia.

10.21203/rs.2.19642/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Tynan ◽

David Walker ◽

Taygan Tucker ◽

Barry Fisher ◽

Tarita Fisher

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Health Services ◽

Indigenous Community ◽

Oral Disease ◽

Indigenous Australians ◽

Family Responsibilities ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Perceived Importance ◽

Oral Health Services ◽

Depth Interviews

Abstract Background: Indigenous Australians suffer from higher rates of oral disease and have more untreated dental problems and tooth extractions than the general population. Indigenous Australians also have lower rates of accessing oral health services and are more likely to visit for a problem rather than a check-up. Multiple issues effect health service and prevention programs including: characteristics of health services such as distances to health services; existence of social and cultural barriers; available wealth and social support; and, characteristics of the individual and community including the importance given to the disease. This paper seeks to explore the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Indigenous community in Australia and the factors influencing this perception.Methods: The study used a phenomenology research design incorporating focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. It was undertaken in partnership with communities’ Health Action Group who guided the focus, implementation and reporting of the research. A convenience sample was recruited from established community groups. Thematic analysis on the transcripts was completed. Results : Twenty-seven community members participated in three focus groups and twelve in-depth interviews. The study found that the community gives high priority to oral health. Factors influencing the importance include: the perceived severity of symptoms of oral disease such as pain experienced due to tooth ache; lack of enabling resources such as access to finance and transport; the social impact of oral disease on individuals including impact on their personal appearance and self-esteem; and health beliefs including oral health awareness. Participants also noted that the importance given to oral health within the community competed with the occurrence of multiple health concerns and family responsibilities.Conclusion: This paper highlights the high importance this rural Indigenous community gives to oral health. Its findings suggest that under-utilisation of oral health services is influenced by both major barriers faced in accessing oral health services; and the number and severity of competing health and social concerns within the community. The study results confirm the importance of establishing affordable, culturally appropriate, community-based oral health care services to improve the oral health of rural Indigenous communities.

Download Full-text