Dentistry and Oral Health Department of Rural Clinical Science La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
Health Expect. 2024 Dec;27(6):e70110. doi: 10.1111/hex.70110.
Australia has a longstanding tradition of resettling refugees and individuals in humanitarian need. Among these, the Karen community from Southeast Asia is rapidly growing in Australia. The absence of data on the barriers they face in accessing dental services is concerning. This study explores the barriers and facilitators Karen refugees encounter when seeking oral healthcare for their children in Australia, aiming to understand their experiences.
Using a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 parents (17 females and 6 males) who had been in Australia for 1-17 years. Each interview, lasting between 35 and 60 min, was audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were thematically analysed through an inductive, data-driven approach, focusing on open coding and participant-based meanings.
Nine main themes were identified. At the individual level, cultural practices, parental behaviours and perceptions were the primary barriers. At the organisational level, long waiting lists in the public dental system were significant barriers. Additionally, a lack of knowledge about financial benefits and government support for children's dental care deterred refugees from seeking dental services. The results also highlighted the strengths of support networks, free dental care for children and school-based dental care programmes. Parents reported experiences of inadequate oral healthcare, citing issues such as insufficient cultural sensitivity training among dental service providers, interpreter problems and shortages. These experiences revealed gaps in the provision of oral healthcare services.
When designing tailored oral health promotion programs, all stakeholders must consider the lived experiences of refugees as valuable sources of information.
The authors thank the parents and carers from the Karen refugee community for sharing their experiences with the oral healthcare of their children. Recruitment was facilitated by the Karen Organisation of Bendigo and Bendigo Community Health Services. An interpreter from the Karen refugee community assisted in all the interviews.
澳大利亚有着长期接收难民和人道主义需求者的传统。在这些人中，来自东南亚的克伦族社区在澳大利亚迅速壮大。目前缺乏他们在获得牙科服务方面面临的障碍的数据，这令人担忧。本研究旨在了解他们的经历，探讨了在澳大利亚，克伦族难民为其子女寻求口腔保健时所面临的障碍和促进因素。
本研究采用定性研究设计和现象学方法，对 23 名父母（17 名女性，6 名男性）进行了半结构式访谈，这些父母在澳大利亚的居住时间为 1-17 年。每次访谈持续 35-60 分钟，并进行了录音和逐字记录。通过一种基于归纳法的数据驱动方法对转录本进行了主题分析，重点是开放编码和基于参与者的含义。
确定了 9 个主要主题。在个体层面上，文化习俗、父母行为和观念是主要障碍。在组织层面上，公共牙科系统中的长等待名单是一个重大障碍。此外，对儿童牙科保健的经济福利和政府支持的了解不足，也阻碍了难民寻求牙科服务。结果还强调了支持网络、儿童免费牙科保健和学校牙科保健计划的优势。父母报告了口腔保健不足的经历，提到了牙科服务提供者缺乏足够的文化敏感性培训、口译问题和短缺等问题。这些经历揭示了口腔保健服务提供方面的差距。
在设计定制的口腔健康促进计划时，所有利益相关者都必须考虑到难民的生活经历，将其视为有价值的信息来源。
作者感谢克伦族难民社区的父母和照顾者分享他们在子女口腔保健方面的经验。本研究的招募工作由本迪戈的克伦族组织和本迪戈社区卫生服务机构协助。一名来自克伦族难民社区的口译员协助进行了所有访谈。
