Water, Climate, and Health Program, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA.
Epidemiology Program, College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19713, USA.
BMC Oral Health. 2024 Sep 6;24(1):1045. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-04841-2.
The oral health of refugees and asylum seekers is understudied. However, oral health has important implications for overall health and wellbeing. This study addresses this gap by characterizing oral health care utilization in Médecins du Monde (MdM) clinics across mainland Greece from 2016 - 2017.
A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used to estimate proportional morbidities for caries, extraction, developmental, periodontal disease, preventive, and other oral health outcomes. The association between physical health conditions and consultations of interest - upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and reproductive health consultations - and oral health were compared using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Oral health outcomes between Afghans and Syrians were compared using odds ratios and 95% CIs.
Caries (39.44%) and extractions (28.99%) were highly prevalent in our study population. The utilization of preventive dental consultations (37.10%) was high, particularly among males. Individuals with at least one upper respiratory tract infection (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.30 - 1.77; Or = 1.90; 95% CI: 1.53 - 2.36) and women and girls with reproductive health consultations (OR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.03 - 1.66; OR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.49 - 2.76) were more likely to have any dental or caries specific consultations. The observed patterns in oral health needs differed between Afghans and Syrians, with Afghans more likely to have preventive screenings and less likely to have caries, extractions, or other conditions.
Displaced populations utilizing MdM dental clinics had high levels of oral health needs, particularly for caries and extractions. The connection between oral and overall health was seen in the study population, and these findings reinforce the public health importance of oral health for improving health and wellbeing of displaced populations. Evidence-informed policy, practice, and programming inclusive of oral health are needed to address both oral and overall health of refugees and asylum seekers in Greece. Future research should investigate not only oral health care needs but also knowledge and beliefs that inform utilization patterns among displaced populations.
难民和寻求庇护者的口腔健康状况研究不足。然而，口腔健康对整体健康和幸福感有重要影响。本研究通过描述 2016 年至 2017 年在希腊大陆的无国界医生组织（MdM）诊所的口腔保健利用情况来填补这一空白。
采用回顾性横断面研究设计，估计龋齿、拔牙、发育性、牙周病、预防性和其他口腔健康结果的比例发病率。使用比值比（OR）和 95%置信区间（CI）比较身体健康状况与感兴趣的就诊（上呼吸道感染（URTIs）和生殖健康就诊）之间的关联，并使用比值比（OR）和 95%CI 比较阿富汗人和叙利亚人之间的口腔健康结果。
在我们的研究人群中，龋齿（39.44%）和拔牙（28.99%）的发病率很高。预防性牙科就诊的利用率（37.10%）很高，特别是在男性中。至少有一次上呼吸道感染的个体（OR=1.52；95%CI：1.30-1.77；OR=1.90；95%CI：1.53-2.36）和有生殖健康就诊的女性和女孩（OR=1.30；95%CI：1.03-1.66；OR=2.03；95%CI：1.49-2.76）更有可能进行任何牙科或龋齿特定的就诊。阿富汗人和叙利亚人之间的口腔健康需求观察到的模式不同，阿富汗人更有可能进行预防性筛查，而龋齿、拔牙或其他疾病的可能性较小。
利用 MdM 牙科诊所的流离失所人群有很高的口腔健康需求，特别是对龋齿和拔牙的需求。在研究人群中看到了口腔健康和整体健康之间的联系，这些发现强调了口腔健康对于改善流离失所人群健康和幸福感的公共卫生重要性。需要制定循证政策、实践和规划，包括口腔健康，以解决希腊难民和寻求庇护者的口腔和整体健康问题。未来的研究不仅应调查口腔保健需求，还应调查流离失所人群的知识和信念，以了解其利用模式。
