Estrada Ivette, Kunzel Carol, Schrimshaw Eric W, Greenblatt Ariel P, Metcalf Sara S, Northridge Mary E
Project Coordinator, Section of Population Oral Health, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Associate Professor of Community Dentistry and Sociomedical Sciences at CUMC, Section of Population Oral Health, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
Spec Care Dentist. 2018 Jan;38(1):3-12. doi: 10.1111/scd.12265. Epub 2018 Jan 4.
Persistent socioeconomic disparities in the oral disease burden contribute to pain and suffering among vulnerable and underserved populations who face systemic barriers to access oral health care, including older adults living in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. The aim of this study is to gain the views of racial/ethnic minority older adults regarding what they believe would support them and their peers in visiting the dentist regularly.
Focus groups were conducted and digitally audio-recorded from 2013 to 2015 with 194 racial/ethnic minority women and men aged 50 years and older living in northern Manhattan who participated in one of 24 focus group sessions about improving oral health for older adults. Analysis of the transcripts was conducted using thematic content analysis. The majority of recommendations from racial/ethnic minority older adults to help older adults go to the dentist regularly were centered at the organization and provider level. The preeminence of respectful treatment to racial/ethnic minority older adults may be useful to underscore in oral health programs and settings.
There is a need for greater engagement of and attention to patients and other stakeholders in developing, testing, and disseminating interventions to close the gaps in oral health care disparities.
口腔疾病负担方面持续存在的社会经济差异，给那些在获得口腔保健服务时面临系统性障碍的弱势群体和服务不足人群带来了痛苦，这些人群包括生活在弱势城市社区的老年人。本研究的目的是了解少数族裔老年人对于他们认为能支持自己及同龄人定期看牙医的因素的看法。
2013年至2015年期间，对居住在曼哈顿北部、年龄在50岁及以上的194名少数族裔男女进行了焦点小组访谈，并进行了数字录音，他们参加了24场关于改善老年人口腔健康的焦点小组会议中的一场。使用主题内容分析法对访谈记录进行了分析。少数族裔老年人提出的帮助老年人定期看牙医的建议，大多集中在机构和提供者层面。在口腔健康项目和环境中强调对少数族裔老年人的尊重治疗的重要性可能会有所帮助。
在制定、测试和推广干预措施以缩小口腔保健差异方面，需要让患者和其他利益相关者更多地参与并得到更多关注。
