Veteran Affairs Quality Scholar's Program, Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
The MetroHealth System, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Gerodontology. 2022 Sep;39(3):231-240. doi: 10.1111/ger.12561. Epub 2021 May 28.
Primary care providers were assessed regarding their training and interest to screen oral conditions in patients ≥55 years old.
Oral health (OH) is an essential component of overall health and can affect systemic health. Medical/dental integration in older adults is underdeveloped.
A brief survey assessed primary care providers' self-reported skills, practices and barriers towards integrating OH screening into adult primary care. Data were collected using Survey Monkey . Respondents were physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) working at a large mid-western safety-net hospital. Descriptive statistics, T-tests and Chi-squared tests were reported.
Eighty-two of 202 participants (41%) completed the survey. Most respondents were female (75%). A majority were physicians (68%); the remainder APPs. All providers (100%) reported OH was important or extremely important to overall health. More physicians (93%) reported not being well-trained to address adult OH issues and perceived less medical-oral health integration in their practice (16%) compared to APPs (P < .05). Time was more of a barrier with APPs (74%), compared to physicians (51%), to integrate OH screening activities (P < .05). Most providers reported other barriers such as inadequate OH training and insurance coverage. Providers endorsed that OH should be assessed frequently (56%) including providing referrals to dentists (77%) and educating patients on oral-systemic issues (63%). More female than male providers endorsed dental referrals and educating patients (P < .05).
Primary care providers embraced greater medical/dental integration for older adults. Instituting OH activities appears to be supported. Future interventions that are feasible in primary care settings are examined.
评估初级保健提供者在≥55 岁患者中筛查口腔状况的培训情况和兴趣。
口腔健康（OH）是整体健康的重要组成部分，会影响全身健康。老年人的医疗/牙科整合还不够完善。
一项简短的调查评估了初级保健提供者自我报告的技能、实践和将 OH 筛查纳入成人初级保健的障碍。数据使用 Survey Monkey 收集。受访者是在一家中西部大型保障医院工作的医生和高级执业医师（APP）。报告了描述性统计数据、T 检验和卡方检验。
在 202 名参与者中，有 82 名（41%）完成了调查。大多数受访者为女性（75%）。大多数为医生（68%）；其余为 APP。所有提供者（100%）均表示 OH 对整体健康重要或极其重要。与 APP 相比（P<.05），更多的医生（93%）报告说他们没有接受过解决成人 OH 问题的良好培训，并且他们的实践中医疗与口腔健康的整合程度较低（16%）。与医生（51%）相比，APP 整合 OH 筛查活动的时间障碍更大（74%）（P<.05）。大多数提供者报告了其他障碍，例如 OH 培训不足和保险覆盖范围。提供者认为 OH 应经常进行评估（56%），包括向牙医转介（77%）和教育患者口腔-系统性问题（63%）。与男性提供者相比，更多的女性提供者表示会进行牙科转介和教育患者（P<.05）。
初级保健提供者支持为老年人提供更多的医疗/牙科整合。似乎支持实施 OH 活动。未来将研究在初级保健环境中可行的干预措施。
