Advocacy for a Digital Oral Health That Leaves No One Behind

2021 ◽  
pp. 238008442110266
Author(s):  
N. Giraudeau ◽  
B. Varenne
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
The Impact

During the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the lockdown enforced led to considerable disruption to the activities of dental services, even leading to closures. To mitigate the impact of the lockdowns, systems were quickly put in place in most countries to respond to dental emergencies, giving priority to distance screening, advice to patients by remote means, and treatment of urgent cases while ensuring continuous care. Digital health was widely adopted as a central component of this new approach, leading to new practices and tools, which in turn demonstrated its potential, limitations, and possible excesses. Political leaders must become aware of the universal availability of digital technology and make use of it as an additional, safe means of providing services to the public. In view of the multiple uses of digital technologies in health—health literacy, teaching, prevention, early detection, therapeutics, and public health policies—deployment of a comprehensive program of digital oral health will require the adoption of a multifaceted approach. Digital tools should be designed to reduce, not increase, inequalities in access to health care. It offers an opportunity to improve healthy behavior, lower risk factors common to oral diseases and others noncommunicable diseases, and contribute to reducing oral health inequalities. It can accelerate the implementation of universal health coverage and help achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, leaving no one behind. Digital oral health should be one of the pillars of oral health care after COVID-19. Universal access to digital oral health should be promoted globally. The World Health Organization’s mOralHealth program aims to do that. Knowledge Transfer Statement: This position paper could be used by oral health stakeholders to convince their government to implement digital oral health program.

scholarly journals The Impact of Internalized Stigma on LGBT Parenting and the Importance of Health Care Structures: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5373
Author(s):  
Carolina Alday-Mondaca ◽  
Siu Lay-Lisboa
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Internalized Stigma ◽  
Lgbt People ◽  
Mental Health Programs ◽  
The Impact

Research on LGBTIQ+ families has focused on the effects of being in a diverse family on the development of children. We seek to show the experience of parenthood from the perspective of LGBTIQ+ people, considering its particularities and the role that health care services play as a potential support network. We used the biographical method through open-ended interviews, participants were LGBT people, and key informants from Chile, Colombia, and Mexico were selected based on a sociostructural sampling. We found that internalized stigma impacts LGBTIQ+ parenting in five ways: the impossibility of thinking of oneself as a parent, fear of violating children’s rights, fear of passing on the stigma, fear of introducing their LGBTIQ+ partner, and the greater discrimination that trans and intersex people suffer. We identified gaps in health care perceptions: the need to guarantee universal access to health care, the need to include a gender perspective and inclusive treatment by health personnel, mental health programs with a community approach, access to assisted fertilization programs, and the generation of collaborative alliances between health services, civil society organizations, and the LGBTIQ+ community. We conclude that the health system is a crucial space from which to enable guarantees for the exercise of rights and overcome internalized stigma.

Global Health, Vulnerable Populations, and Law

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47
Author(s):  
Solomon R. Benatar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Right To Health Care ◽  
Legal Provisions ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Access To Medical Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Emergency Health Services

The most common response to the challenge of protecting health through law is to focus on protecting the rights of vulnerable individuals and to enhance their access to health care. Each one of us is vulnerable or potentially vulnerable because of the fragile, existential nature of the human condition. Catastrophic and unexpected events could instantaneously transform us from a state of total independence and potential vulnerability to one of extreme vulnerability and complete dependence. Some legal provisions have the potential to provide a modicum of protection when we find ourselves in those situations (for example, through legislation, effective emergency health services can be created to reduce the impact of our potential vulnerability). There are also legal provisions that contribute to beneficial social circumstances; for example, legislation enabling universal access to medical care, and operationalizing respect for the individual’s right to health care, as advocated for by other authors in this issue.

The impact of education and health heterogeneity on Generational Support Ratios: a cross-national comparison between Mexico and Korea

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (9) ◽  
pp. 1924-1961 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERIKA ARENAS ◽  
BONGOH KYE ◽  
GRACIELA TERUEL ◽  
LUIS RUBALCAVA
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
National Comparison ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Cross National

ABSTRACTPolicy makers are concerned about the socio-economic consequences of population ageing. Policies often rely on estimations of support ratios based solely on the population age structure. We estimate Generational Support Ratios (GSRs) considering health heterogeneity of the population age 60+ and education heterogeneity of their offspring. We explore the effect of a public policy that changes the education of a targeted sub-group of women when they are young on their health once they become older, taking into account changes in demographic processes (i.e.marriage, fertility, offspring's education). We used the model presented by Kyeet al.for the Korean context and examine the Mexican context. Our paper has three objectives. First, by applying this framework to the Mexican context we aim to find that improvements in women's education may mitigate the negative consequences of population ageing directly and indirectly through subsequent demographic behaviours that altogether affect GSRs. Second, by making a cross-national comparison between Korea and Mexico, we aim to quantify how policies of educational expansion have different impacts in contexts in which the population age 60+ have universal access to health care compared to contexts in which access to health care is selective. Third, by comparing cross-nationally we aim to show how differences in family processes across countries alter the pathways through which improvements in education affect GSRs.

scholarly journals Assessing the role of appropriate primary health care on the use of dental services by Brazilian low-income preschool children

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Márcia Helena Baldani ◽  
Juliana Schaia Rocha ◽  
Cristina Berger Fadel ◽  
Antonio Carlos Nascimento ◽  
José Leopoldo Ferreira Antunes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
World Health ◽  
Dental Services ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The Impact

Abstract: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the association between the quality of primary health care (PHC) and the use of dental services by preschoolers served by the Family Health Strategy (FHS), controlling for socio-demographic determinants and perceived need. The sample encompassed 438 children aged 3-5 years, enrolled in 19 FHS facilities in Ponta Grossa, Paraná State, Brazil. Individual level variables were collected by interviewing parents or caregivers at home. They answered a questionnaire on socioeconomic conditions, oral hygiene habits and use of dental services. Parental perception of child’s oral health related quality of life, as perceived need, was assessed by the Brazilian version of Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS). Normative need was assessed by oral examinations, according to guidelines standardized by the World Health Organization. The contextual level factor was defined as the extent of implementation of PHC in the facilities. Managers responded to PCATool-Brazil, a validated questionnaire which measures the extent of PHC. Dentists answered to a version of PCATool, which was adapted and pretested for dental services. Multilevel analysis, based on Andersen’s behavioral model, fitted the adjustment of “having ever consulted a dentist” to contextual and individual covariates. We observed high prevalence of dental caries. Almost half of the sample had had dental appointments in life. Social gradients were observed for the use of dental services. Although it was not able to eliminate the impact of adverse social conditions, higher levels of PHC attributes in dental services favored the effective use of such services by low-income children.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and inequities in the Americas: lessons learned and implications for essential health services

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Anselm J.M. Hennis ◽  
Anna Coates ◽  
Sandra del Pino ◽  
Massimo Ghidinelli ◽  
Rodolfo Gomez Ponce de Leon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Service Delivery ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
The Sustainable Development

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social, economic, and health-related disparities, which disproportionately affect persons living in conditions of vulnerability. Such populations include ethnic groups who face discrimination and experience barriers to accessing comprehensive health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed these health disparities, and disruptions of essential health services have further widened the gaps in access to health care. Noncommunicable diseases are more prevalent among groups most impacted by poor social determinants of health and have been associated with an increased likelihood of severe COVID-19 disease and higher mortality. Disruptions in the provision of essential health services for noncommunicable diseases, mental health, communicable diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, and maternal and child health services (including sexual and reproductive health), are projected to also increase poor health outcomes. Other challenges have been an increased frequency of interpersonal violence and food insecurity. Countries in the Americas have responded to the disruptions caused by the pandemic by means of health service delivery through telemedicine and other digital solutions and stepping up social service support interventions. As vaccinations for COVID-19 create the opportunity to overcome the pandemic, countries must strengthen primary health care and essential health services with a view to ensuring equity, if the region is to achieve universal health coverage in fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

scholarly journals Patients’ Perception of Morocco’s Medicine Pricing Reform and Determinants of Their Access to Health Care and Medicine

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Amine Cheikh ◽  
Meryem Moutahir ◽  
Ismail Bennani ◽  
Houda Attjioui ◽  
Wadie Zerhouni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Insurance Coverage ◽  
Access To Medicines ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Medicine Prices ◽  
The Impact

Background. In 2014, the Ministry of Health of Morocco implemented a reform of medicine pricing that leads to lower prices. This reform has brought about a new method of pricing medicines and a reduction in the prices of more than 1,400 of the 5,000 medicines on the market. The objective of this study was to survey patients’ perceptions of the impact of the reform on medicine prices and affordability of health care, including medicine. Methods. Between September 2017 and September 2018, 360 patients that visited a community pharmacy in four selected areas of different socioeconomic levels were interviewed based on a questionnaire. Findings were studied through univariate and multivariate analyses. Results. Three hundred patients (83%) were included given their completed questionnaire. The majority (89%) of respondents considered medicine prices as a potential barrier to access to health care. Lower medicine prices following the reform were not perceived to have actually impacted respondents’ spending on health care. In some cases, care was delayed, in particular by lower-income respondents and people without insurance and health coverage. Conclusion. The majority of patients participating in the study did not perceive the decrease in medicine prices as sufficient. In addition, the study findings pointed to the relevance of further determinants of access to medicines, such as health insurance coverage. Patients think that the generalized third-party payment mode, which does not oblige patients to spend out of their pockets to have their treatment but rather their health insurance funds that will pay for them, provides optimal access to medicines.

scholarly journals Universal Access to Advanced Imaging and Healthcare Protection: UHC and Diagnostic Imaging

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Pietro Cappabianca ◽  
Gaetano Maria Russo ◽  
Umberto Atripaldi ◽  
Luigi Gallo ◽  
Maria Paola Rocco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
National Level ◽  
World Health ◽  
World Population ◽  
Health Coverage ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Diagnostic Standards ◽  
Access To Primary Care ◽  
Health Organization

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a set of principles adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) aimed to guarantee access to primary care for the entire world population through a range of essential health services without neglecting the diagnostic aspect. Italy is one of the signatory states, which means that diagnostic services should be appropriated and exigible throughout the national territory equally. Our research analyzed and identified the main criticalities in terms of age, territorial distribution, and technological and health appropriateness of installed Computed Tomography (CT) needed to meet the principles of UHC. Data analyzed in our study were published by Assobiomedica at the end of 2016 and by COCIR, which included and investigated the installed fleet of diagnostic equipment in the Italian sanitary system and in various European countries. The 6th point of the Alma Ata Declaration defines the concept of “primary health care”, which includes the importance of the diagnostic phase in the Italian health care system to provide Essential Levels of Assistance (LEA). It is clear from our studies that the technology at the national level is not adequate to satisfy the UHC principles or the European criteria, with negative effects on the diagnostic standards and on advanced screenings. This study conducted on the installed CTs in Italy at the end of 2016 confirms the persistence of progressive aging that has been recorded for several years in the health facilities of the country and suggests incentive policies for the replacement of obsolete equipment, which represent a form of investment rather than a cost, due to the nature of the expenditure itself, one-off and amortizable over time.

scholarly journals Is It Time to Consider Implementation of Telemedicine in Current Oral Health Care Services?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Betul Ilhan ◽  
Ibrahim Sevki Bayrakdar ◽  
Oguzhan Baydar ◽  
Pelin Guneri
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Delayed Diagnosis ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Noncommunicable Diseases ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Chronic Respiratory Diseases

Abstract Telemedicine offers an excellent opportunity to provide continuing health care for those in need during local/global pandemics and disasters. It provides a safe and effective communication tool between health professionals and can be used as “forward triage” to manage medical/dental emergencies and to minimize the contact between the patients and clinicians during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Patients with noncommunicable diseases, like cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, or chronic respiratory diseases, may present with critical health problems due to less access to health care systems during global disasters; opportunities for screening oral mucosa might be significantly disrupted, leading to delayed diagnosis of malignant/potentially malignant lesions. Telemedicine and oral health care associated mobile applications should be implemented to provide equal access to care, to eliminate unnecessary visits to health centers, and to improve practical coordination between professionals and health facilities.

COVID 19 and Special Care Dentistry: A Narrative Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 1473-1476
Author(s):  
Ashwika Datey ◽  
Soumya Singhai ◽  
Gargi Nimbulkar ◽  
Kumar Gaurav Chhabra ◽  
Amit Reche
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Special Care ◽  
World Health ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Health Care Needs ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Care Needs

The COVID 19 outbreak has been declared a pandemic by the world health organisation. The healthcare sector was overburdened and overstretched with the number of patient increasing and requiring health services. The worst-hit population always are the people with special needs, whether it is children, pregnant females or the geriatric population. The need for the emergency kind of health services was so inflated that the other special population which required them equally as those patients with the COVID 19 suffered a lot. Dentistry was not an exception, and even that is also one of the important components of the health care delivery system and people requiring oral health care needs were also more. Those undergoing dental treatments would not have completed the treatment, and this would have resulted in various complications. In this situation, some dental emergency guidelines have been released by Centres for Disease Control (CDC) for the urgent dental care those requiring special care dentistry during the COVID 19 pandemic. Children with special care needs were considered more vulnerable to oral diseases; hence priority should have been given to them for dental treatments moreover in the future also more aggressive preventive measures should be taken in order to maintain oral hygiene and prevent many oral diseases. Guardians/caregivers should be made aware and motivated to maintain the oral health of children with special health care needs. This review mainly focuses on the prevention and management of oral diseases in children's with special care needs.

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