Community Dental Health

cover art

Cover Date:
December 2018
Print ISSN:
0265 539X
Electronic ISSN:
2515-1746
Vol:
35
Issue:
4

Understanding oral health care needs and oral health-related quality of life in vulnerable adults in Plymouth

10.1922/CDH_4060Patel04

Abstract: This paper aims to provide a snapshot analysis of the oral health status of vulnerable adults in Plymouth; and to demonstrate the extent to which oral disease impacts on their normal functioning through the implementation of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP). It is acknowledged that gaining a representative sample of a transient population such as people who are homeless, or individuals affected by problematic use of drugs and/or alcohol is difficult. An opportunity was identified to collect data within the Community Engagement Team’s (CET) programme of activity within the Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise. The CET works alongside local organisations to enable dental students from Peninsula School of Dentistry to undertake outreach programmes in a variety of settings. A study was designed which aimed to analyse the oral health status of vulnerable adults accessing three day-support services in Plymouth, and to understand the extent to which oral disease impacts on their normal functioning through the OHIP-14. For all impact domains, the 44 patients in this study reported a greater impact than that found in the Adult Dental Health Survey. The most commonly reported impact domains were physical pain and psychological discomfort. The sample was divided into high and low oral health-related quality of life impact groups, and those participants in the high impact group had significantly greater median D3MFT scores, i.e. higher levels of decay experience. This survey highlights how these vulnerable groups are characterised by a high prevalence of poor oral health, ill-health, deprivation and social exclusion.
Public health competencies being illustrated: Oral health surveillance; strategic leadership and collaborative working for health and oral health improvement

Keywords: vulnerable adults, oral health, oral health related quality of life, England

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£
Page Start
197
Page End
200
Authors
R. Patel, R. Witton, R. Potterton, W. Smith, I. Kaimi

Articles from this issue

  • Title
  • Pg. Start
  • Pg. End

  1. Editorial: Public Health at Christmas
  2. 195
  3. 196

  1. Understanding oral health care needs and oral health-related quality of life in vulnerable adults in Plymouth
  2. 197
  3. 200

  1. A feasibility study to explore the governance processes required for linkage between dental epidemiological, and birth cohort, data in the U.K.
  2. 201
  3. 203

  1. Illuminating Mexican migrant adolescents’ dental access and utilization experiences
  2. 204
  3. 210

  1. Results of a two year dental health education program to reduce dental caries in young Aboriginal children in New South Wales, Australia
  2. 211
  3. 216

  1. A multi-variable analysis of four factors affecting caries levels among five-year-old children; deprivation, ethnicity, exposure to fluoridated water and geographic region
  2. 217
  3. 222

  1. The impact of age and deprivation on NHS payment claims for domiciliary dental care in England
  2. 223
  3. 227

  1. A critical review of protocols for conventional microwave oven use for denture disinfection
  2. 228
  3. 234

  1. Why might patients in the UK consult a general medical practitioner when experiencing dental problems? A literature review of patients’ perspectives
  2. 235
  3. 240

  1. The distribution of dental health specialist locations in Sri Lanka
  2. 241
  3. 246

  1. Decision tree analysis for factors associated with dental caries in school-aged children in Japan
  2. 247
  3. 251

  1. Dentist’s views on incorporating oral health collaborative practice into primary medical care in Ireland
  2. 252
  3. 256