scholarly journals Oral Health Care of Older Adults in Hong Kong

Geriatrics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Alice Chan ◽  
Manisha Tamrakar ◽  
Katherine Leung ◽  
Chloe Jiang ◽  
Edward Lo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Care Programme ◽  
Assistance Programme

The older adult population is increasing both in number and in proportion worldwide. In Hong Kong, the number of people aged 65 or above is expected to reach 2.5 million in 2039, thus becoming one-third of the population. With this growing population, the need for dental care among older adults is expected to surge. Oral health care is one of the government’s core policy agendas and the Department of Health has emphasised its importance. It has implemented a number of policies, such as increasing the number of dental training places, setting up an expert group for oral health care policy planning, and conducting regular oral health surveys of the population. It is subsidizing several programmes, including the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme, Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme, Outreach Dental Care Programme, and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Programme, in order to promote oral health care in older adults. These programmes have received support and positive feedback from both the public and dental service providers. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the oral health care of older adults in Hong Kong and recommendations to enhance their effectiveness.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Two Older Adults Regarding the Factors and Barriers that Influence their Oral Health Care: A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinorah Munira Hernandez-Santos ◽  
Irma Fabiola Diaz-Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
The Impact

This paper presents the results of a case study about the perceptions of oral health care, factors that influenced current oral health, and barriers to dental attention of two older adults; the study was conducted by researchers from a hospital-school of dentistry at a public university in Mexico. Two adults aged 64 and 70 years participated in this study. First, the oral health status was clinically evaluated using the Decayed/Missing/Filled/Teeth (DMFT) Index. A semi-structured interview was then conducted to learn about the perceptions of oral health care. Thematic content analysis was used to explore the data obtained using the ATLAS.ti software 7.0 version. Four main themes and their subthemes were developed. The main finding of the case study was that oral health was directly and strongly associated with the impact that it has on a participant's life, especially in the functional field of chewing. Also, the participants recognized the importance of having good oral health and see it as a necessity for living. Aspects that influenced the current status of oral health were mainly the care received during their childhood, as well as the previous dental beliefs and treatments. Finally, some of the perceived barriers to dental care treatment were lack of time, finances, and education. These findings challenge professionals to be more sensitive to past and current experiences of older adults at the time of receiving dental care. Knowing their perceptions can support health professionals to strengthen patients’ commitment to prioritizing oral health care needs.

Programs and Policies Targeted to Improve Access to Dental Care for Low Income Adults and Children in the US: An Integrative Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Davis AL ◽  
◽  
Zare H ◽  
Kanwar O ◽  
McCleary R ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Oral Health Literacy ◽  
The Us ◽  
Access To Dental Care

Objective: The authors conducted an integrative literature review of recent studies that explored the impact of interventions implemented in the U.S. that focused on improving access to dental care for low-income and vulnerable populations. Methods: The authors conducted an integrative literature review of studies published between 2012-2018 that addressed six oral health policy spheres. 1) Community-based dental access programs; (2) Medicaid reimbursement and expansion; (3) Student loan support; (4) Oral health services in non-traditional settings and dental residency programs; (5) Programs to improve oral health literacy; and (6) Use of dental therapists. Results: The authors included 39 articles for qualitative synthesis. Numerous public health initiatives and programs exist in the US aimed at increasing access to quality oral health care. Medicaid expansion, increased Medicaid fee-for-service reimbursement rates, and state loan repayment programs have demonstrated some success in improving access among underserved populations. A diversified dental workforce, with community dental health workers and mid-level providers like dental therapists, as well as interprofessional training of nurses and primary-care physicians in oral health have also shown positive impacts in advancing health equity. Further studies are needed to understand how oral health literacy programs can affect access and utilization of dental services. Conclusions: Improvements to the oral health care safety net will require a holistic and multifaceted approach in order to reduce oral health disparities. Policy levers should work, not in isolation, but rather in complementary fashion to one another.

scholarly journals Strengthening the approach to oral health policy and practice in Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-85
Author(s):  
Shauna Hachey ◽  
Joanne Clovis ◽  
Kimberley Lamarche
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Primary Care Providers ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Policy And Practice

Abstract Evidence suggests that Canadian children from marginalized populations experience higher rates of oral diseases than their more fortunate counterparts. Oral health care in Canada is a nearly exclusively privatized and siloed system. In order to close the gap in child oral health, a combination of cohesive strategies and accessible providers is essential. The Health Impact Pyramid is a paradigm to guide health policy and programming with ready application to oral health care in Canada for the delivery of evidence-based oral health interventions with high impact. A collaborative approach among primary care providers (oral health and nonoral health), educators and the public sector, and the utilization of oral health service providers to their full scope of practice is needed to access priority populations and to deliver the most impactful interventions. Strengthening the approach to oral health care in Canada is necessary to reduce the inequities in oral health and, in turn, overall child health.

scholarly journals Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Other Dementias in the Lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Older Adults and Their Caregivers: Needs and Competencies

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 545-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen ◽  
Sarah Jen ◽  
Amanda E. B. Bryan ◽  
Jayn Goldsen
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Health Care Access ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Bisexual And Transgender

Cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias are important health concerns for older adults. As a marginalized and growing segment of the older adult population, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults face distinct risk factors related to cognitive impairment and dementias, including social isolation, discrimination, barriers to health care access, limited availability of and support for caregivers, and higher rates of certain chronic illnesses. We examine cognitive impairment and dementias among LGBT older adults, describe their unique risk factors, and outline key competencies for health care and human service providers to ensure culturally relevant care for LGBT older adults experiencing cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, or other dementias, as well as their caregivers, families, and communities. Implications include developing an awareness of the context of LGBT older adults’ lives and relationships, the importance of early detection and support, and the development of policies and practices that promote community-level advocacy and education.

scholarly journals Oral health care-seeking behaviour and influencing factors among 18-34 years old women in Kochi, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 4478
Author(s):  
Nija M. A. ◽  
Geethu Gireesh ◽  
Minu Maria Mathew ◽  
Ramanarayanan Venkitachalam
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Care ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
System Level ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Dental Health Care ◽  
Personal Level

Background: Oral health, though an integral part of general health, is accorded low priority and remains an issue of neglect. Women during their reproductive years suffer from various oral problems that warrant timely utilization of care. Understanding factors affecting health-seeking behavior is necessary. The objective of this study was to determine the personal level and system-level factors that affect utilization of oral health care among 18-34 year-old women visiting a dental health care facility.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 18-34 year old women. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling from a tertiary dental health care facility. A Chi-square test was used to determine the association of sociodemographic variables on factors affecting the utilization of oral care.Results: A total of 194 responses were obtained. The mean age of study participants was 27.1±5.2 years. Around 62% of women suffered from multiple dental problems in the past year of which tooth decay and swelling of gums were most common. About 68% of them sought treatment with a dentist. Half of the respondents were themselves responsible for making health care decisions. 55% of the participants reported barriers in availing dental care. The cost of dental treatment, fear of pain, and lack of time were the most commonly reported barriers.Conclusions: Oral health-seeking behaviour among women was found to be good with regard to dental attendance. Personal level barriers were greater than system-level barriers in availing dental care.

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