Important oral care needs of older French people: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Older persons comprise a growing proportion of the European population and may have a distinct epidemiological oral profile requiring specific preventive and curative care poorly documented. The objectives of this study were to assess the oral health status of people ≥90 years of age in France, to compare their perceived and observed oral care needs and to investigate the oral problems associated with a low oral health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL). METHODS: An oral cross-sectional study was performed during the 25th follow-up of a cohort of older persons being followed up prospectively for screening of dementia over a 15-year period in Gironde and Dordogne, France. Clinical oral indices were determined by oral examinations conducted at the participants' place of living. Cohen's Kappa coefficient was used to assess the agreement between perceived and observed oral care needs. Oral problems associated with a low OHRQoL, measured with the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI<50) were investigated with logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated with their 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Data from 90 persons were analysed (76% female; median age=93 years; 20% living in an institution). Plaque and calculus were present in 93% and 58% respectively, of the 74 dentate participants. The mean number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth was 26.5 (±5.3); 66% of the participants had at least one untreated decayed tooth. Among the 85 participants with tooth loss not replaced by a fixed denture, two thirds had a removable dental prosthesis; 84% of these prostheses were considered to be maladapted. Among the 39 participants who felt unable to consult a dentist (43%), lack of transportation was the most frequently cited reason. Although 88% of the participants needed oral care, only 26% perceived that they had such a need (Kappa=0.06). Oral problems associated with a GOHAI<50 were the absence of posterior occluding teeth (OR=7.15; 95%CI=1.53-33.35; P=0.012), feeling of dry mouth (OR=11.94; 95%CI=3.21-44.39; P=0.0002) and oral pain (OR=9.06; 95%CI=1.91-69.00; P=0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Persons ≥90 years of age have considerable preventive and curative dental care needs that impact their quality-of-life but they are rarely aware and lack transportation. NCT04065828.

[Oral health inequalities: Determinants of access to prevention and care in France]. / Inégalités en santé orale : déterminants de l'accès à la prévention et aux soins en France.

INTRODUCTION: Oral diseases are unequally distributed according to a social gradient, which now constitutes a major public health problem. Acting against oral health inequalities requires a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in order to identify the appropriate solutions to improve access to oral health promotion and dental care for deprived populations. METHODS: A patient-centered model of health care access, describing the ideal interactions between individuals and the health care system was applied to the field of oral health in the French context. This model defines access to health care as the result of interactions between individuals and the health care system, in which health needs are perceived, health care is sought, health care structures are accessed and effectively used. Analysis is based on quantitative and qualitative bibliographic data acquired through an explanatory sociological approach. RESULTS: Socially deprived populations face many barriers preventing their access to dental care: the need for dental care is not necessarily perceived, and, when perceived, dental care is not immediately sought, accessibility to dental care structures is difficult and dental attendance is erratic. CONCLUSION: This review provides information to decision-makers in order to support regional health policies and to help implement public health strategies according to the principle of proportionate universalism. Two axes for action were identified, namely to integrate oral health promotion interventions within health promotion programmes and to gradually reorganize the dental care system to make it more accessible to everyone.

[The Intensified Dental Preventive Programme in Rhineland-Palatinate: Investigations on first-grade school-children in 2013/2014]. / Die zahnärztliche selektive Intensivprophylaxe in Rheinland-Pfalz: Untersuchungen an Erstklässlern im Schuljahr 2013/2014.

Aim: For children and adolescents at increased risk of caries, the "Selective Intensive Prophylaxis" (SIP) programme was established in Rhineland-Palatinate in 2004, as well as in the most other German states. This study compares the results of the school dentists' evaluations of first grade school children in 2013/2014 participating in the "Selective Intensive Prophylaxis" (SIP) programme or the "Standard Programme" (SP). Methods: The d3mft/D3MFT index was recorded by school dentists according to the WHO criteria; caries was diagnosed if dentin was affected; no radiography or fiber-optic transillumination was used. The examinations were performed once under the SP and twice under the SIP. Children and parents were informed in case of a need for treatment and reminded if the did not see the family dentist. Out of the evaluated d3mft/D3MFT values, the Significant Caries Index (SiC) was calculated. Statistical computing was performed using SPSS 22.00. Results: Of all first graders, n=25 020 were evaluable for d3mft/D3MFT. Altogether n=1 164 first graders were included into the SIP in the 2013/2014 term; for n=1 002 of those, the results for both examinations were available. The caries experience of those pupils participating in the SIP was clearly higher than in the SP (41.8% naturally healthy vs. 61.7%, p<0.0001). There was significant difference between the first and second examination in the SIP, especially with respect to individual (16.0 vs. 23.0%, p<0.0001) and tooth-related (43.2 vs. 54.2%, p<0.0001) level of restoration. Conclusion: The results show that the SIP in Rhineland-Palatinate is conducted in a population with high caries experience. The significant difference concerning the dental restoration level, both individual- and teeth-related - leads to the conclusion that children frequently sought dental treatment if a need for treatment was diagnosed by the school dentist.

[Does the Prevention Act Improve Prevention in Pediatric Outpatient Settings!?] / Mehr Prävention durch das Präventionsgesetz in der kinder- und jugendärztlichen Praxis!?

Aim of the study: The Prevention Act was adopted by the German Federal Parliament on 18.06.2015. The paediatric practice is an important place from which to reach out to children and teenagers and to positively influence them through targeted prevention services in their health-related behaviour. It is therefore an important setting for the implementation of the Prevention Act. Could the delegation of prevention services to qualified medical assistants promote the successful implementation of the Prevention Act? Since 2003, medical assistants have qualified as "Prevention Assistants" after completing training courses and offered support in preventive services to children and teenagers in the paediatrician's office. The aim of this study was to improve the effectiveness of the training to increase the competence of the participants, expansion of preventive services for children and teenagers in the paediatrician's office and reduction of physician workload. Methodology: Training was accompanied by ongoing evaluation; there were two extensive studies in 2009 and 2011, respectively. Between 2003 and 2006 (n=126, after 75% response rate) and in 2011 (n=119 after 24% response rate), participants were assessed with standardized questionnaires, and in the survey of 2011, their employers also were interviewed, (n=76, after 22% response rate). Results: The prevention assistants assess their learning successes as good and are able to take over delegated tasks in the paediatrician's office. The involvement of a trained prevention assistant contributed to the transformation and re-establishment of prevention offers in paediatrician's offices and reduced physician workload. 44% of physicians felt that the time saved by prevention assistant was very good or good, 80% of physicians surveyed also indicated that prevention assistants carried out preventive consultations in the doctor's office. Conclusion: In light of the paediatricians' workload and their own wishes and demands, and for a targeted implementation of the Prevention Act, it is necessary to delegate preventive services to trained personnel. It is also possible to accomplish this task. It is necessary to introduce billing numbers in the fee schedule for doctors similar to the billing numbers for dental health prophylaxis.

[Access to care and prevention for people with disabilities in France: Analysis based on data from the 2008 French health and disabilities households surveys (Handicap-Santé-Ménages)]. / Accès aux soins et à la prévention des personnes en situation de handicap en France: une exploitation de l'enquête Handicap-Santé-Ménages.

BACKGROUND: Using data from the 2008 French health and disabilities households surveys, this study examines the use of three types of routine medical care (dental, ophthalmological and gynecological care) and four preventive services (cervical cancer screening, breast cancer screening, colon cancer screening and vaccination against hepatitis B) both for people with disabilities and for those without. Two definitions of disability were retained: (1) functional limitations (motor, cognitive, visual or hearing limitations) and (2) administrative recognition of disability. METHODS: For each type of care, binary logistic regression was used to test whether access to care is influenced by any of the disability indicators as well as by other explanatory variables. Two set of explanatory variables were included successively: (1) sociodemographic variables such as age, gender as well as a proxy variable representing medical needs and (2) socioeconomic variables such as level of education, household income per consumption unit, supplementary health insurance coverage, co-payment exemption and geographic variables. RESULTS: Persons reporting functional limitations are less likely to access to all types of care, in a proportion that varies between 5 to 27 points, compared to persons without functional limitations, except for eye care for which no gap is observed. The same results are obtained for persons reporting an administrative recognition of disability, and more precisely for those who benefit from the Disability allowance for adults (Allocation adulte handicapé [AAH]). After adding the social variables to the model, problems of access to health care decrease significantly, showing that disabled persons' social situation tends to reduce their access to care. CONCLUSION: This study reveals, for a broad range of care, a negative differential access to care for persons reporting functional limitations compared to those without limitations which is confirmed when identifying disability through administrative recognition. Furthermore, it also discusses factors explaining these differentials. It highlights the role of the social situation of disabled people as an additional barrier to already limited access to healthcare.

[Evaluation of an Intensified Dental Preventive Programme Aimed at Children with Increased Caries Risk]. / Evaluation eines zahnmedizinischen Präventionsprogramms für Kinder mit erhöhtem Kariesrisiko.

Our study investigated the effect of a selective intensive prevention (SIP) programme on dental health of pupils in comparison to a control group. While no differences were observed in respect to dental health of first graders, the DMF-T values of fourth and 6 graders participating in SIP were significantly lower. Concerning the psychometric variables only few differences were found. The fourth and 6 graders in the test group reported less dental fear than the pupils in the control group.

Health care use and expenditures associated with access to the medical home for children and youth.

BACKGROUND: The pediatric medical home is an approach to the delivery of family-centered health care. Policy-makers and payers are interested in potential changes to health care utilization and expenditures under this model. OBJECTIVE: To test associations between having a medical home and health service use and expenditures among US children and youth. RESEARCH DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: A total of 26,221 children aged 0 to 17 years surveyed in the 2005 to 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys. MEASURES: Parent report of a child's access to a medical home was developed from multiple survey items in the Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys. Negative binomial regression examined the association between the medical home and parent-reported counts of annual outpatient, inpatient, emergency department, and dental visits. Two-part models examined associations between the medical home and parent-reported annual total, outpatient, inpatient, emergency department, and other health care expenditures. Models accounted for potential self-selection into a medical home using propensity scores. RESULTS: Children with a medical home had a greater incidence of preventive visits [incidence rate ratio (IRR)=1.11; (95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.03-1.20)] and dental visits [IRR=1.09 (95% CI, 1.02-1.17)] and a lower incidence of emergency department visits [IRR=0.87 (95% CI, 0.79-0.97)] compared with children without a medical home. Children with a medical home also had greater odds of incurring total, outpatient, prescription medication, and dental expenditures, OR's ranging from 1.09 to 1.38. Despite greater odds of incurring certain expenditures, expenditures were no different for children with and without a medical home. CONCLUSIONS: The medical home is associated with several domains of health service use, yet there is no evidence for its association with health care expenditures for children and youth.

Impact of Treating Oral Disease on Preventing Vascular Diseases: A Model-Based Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Periodontal Treatment Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Previous randomized trials found that treating periodontitis improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), thus lowering the risks of developing T2D-related microvascular diseases and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some payers in the U.S. have started covering nonsurgical periodontal treatment for those with chronic conditions, such as diabetes. We sought to identify the cost-effectiveness of expanding periodontal treatment coverage among patients with T2D. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to estimate lifetime costs and health gains using a stochastic microsimulation model of oral health conditions, T2D, T2D-related microvascular diseases, and CVD of the U.S. POPULATION: Model parameters were obtained from the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2009-2014) and randomized trials of periodontal treatment among patients with T2D. RESULTS: Expanding periodontal treatment coverage among patients with T2D and periodontitis would be expected to avert tooth loss by 34.1% (95% CI -39.9, -26.5) and microvascular diseases by 20.5% (95% CI -31.2, -9.1), 17.7% (95% CI -32.7, -4.7), and 18.4% (95% CI -34.5, -3.5) for nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy, respectively. Providing periodontal treatment to the target population would be cost saving from a health care perspective at a total net savings of $5,904 (95% CI -6,039, -5,769) with an estimated gain of 0.6 quality-adjusted life years per capita (95% CI 0.5, 0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Providing nonsurgical periodontal treatment to patients with T2D and periodontitis would be expected to significantly reduce tooth loss and T2D-related microvascular diseases via improved glycemic control. Encouraging patients with T2D and poor oral health conditions to receive periodontal treatment would improve health outcomes and still be cost saving or cost-effective.

Access to and Disparities in Care among Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers (MSFWs) at U.S. Health Centers.

OBJECTIVES: This study describes the characteristics of migrant and seasonal farm workers (MSFWs) served by federally-funded health centers and examines disparities in access to primary and preventive care between migrant health center (MHC) and community health center (CHC) program patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey which has 2212 and 831 patients from CHC and MHC program patients, respectively. RESULTS: Our study showed that the MHC program provided comparable health care access and quality for MSFWs relative to CHC patients. However, there were challenges with access to primary care, such as getting timely medical and dental care and prescription medicine. DISCUSSION: These results affirmed the role of health centers in providing high-quality primary care and reducing disparities. However, continual efforts are needed to enhance access to and quality of care for MSFWs.

Measuring prevention more broadly: an empirical assessment of CHIPRA core measures.

OBJECTIVE: To assess limitations of using select Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) core claims-based measures in capturing the preventive services that may occur in the clinical setting. METHODS: We use claims data from ALL Kids, the Alabama Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), to calculate each of four quality measures under two alternative definitions: (1) the formal claims-based guidelines outlined in the CMS Technical Specifications, and (2) a broader definition of appropriate claims for identifying preventive service use. Additionally, we examine the extent to which these two claims-based approaches to measuring quality differ in assessments of disparities in quality of care across subgroups of children. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in rates were identified when comparing the two definitions for calculating each quality measure. Measure differences ranged from a 1.9 percentage point change for measure #13 (receiving preventive dental services) to a 25.5 percentage point change for measure #12 (adolescent well-care visit). We were able to identify subgroups based upon family income, rural location, and chronic disease status with differences in quality within the core measures. However, some identified disparities were sensitive to the approach used to calculate the quality measure. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in CHIP design and structure, across states and over time, may limit the usefulness of select claims-based core measures for detecting disparities accurately. Additional guidance and research may be necessary before reporting of the measures becomes mandatory.

[Health prevention for children and adolescents in competitive sports]. / Leistungssport und Gesundheitsvorsorge bei Kindern und Jugendlichen.

The promotion of sport talents in Germany is federally standardised. Apart from the training and management support, annual sports-medical investigations with standardised procedures are mandatory for athletes' health and safety. For the first time, this study evaluates the prevalence ratio of medical findings in Hessian top athletes. The data of all athletes presenting in one of the 27 licenced examination centres in Hesse during the period of investigation were evaluated for age, sex and sports discipline as well as medical findings and a trinomial classification of the sports-related health status. The completeness of this collection in the relevant period from November 2006 to October 2007 was assured by cross-checking the application charts of all related sports associations. Data of 1620 (m: 904, 14.8 +/- 2.5 years; w: 716, 14.3 +/- 2.6 years) of all 1713 athletes presenting during the evaluation period were used for analysis. Medical findings (e. g., resulting in follow-up evaluation or further consultations) were seen in 83.5 % of all athletes. A small group (3.6 %) was temporarily, and one single athlete was completely exempted from sports participation. These results underline (additionally to the preventive capability of sports-medical investigations) the need for an annual medical consultation of juvenile athletes. Further investigations should be extended to other districts and classes and might evaluate the direct and indirect costs of diseases.

Evaluating the message: the relationship between compliance rate and the subject of a practice guideline.

To explore the relationship between providers' compliance and some key aspects of the clinical messages in practice guidelines, studies published in the English language medical literature between 1980 and 1991 were retrieved through MEDLINE and through relevant review articles in the field. All published studies providing compliance rates with practice guidelines and endorsed by official organizations were eligible for the study. The clinical content and the reported compliance rate were gathered for each recommendation in the 23 studies selected. The medical and surgical procedures addressed by 143 recommendations were identified according to specialty area, type of procedure (diagnostic, surgical, etc.) and were independently classified by the authors as being high or low on characteristics thought to influence diffusion:complexity, trialability and observability. The mean compliance rate with the 143 clinical recommendations was 54.5% (95% CI: 50.2%-58.9%), with those in the specialty areas of cardiology and oncology showing the highest compliance (mean 63.6% and 62.2%, respectively). Recommendations concerning procedures with high complexity had lower compliance rates than those low on complexity (41.9% vs. 55.9%; P = 0.05), and those judged to be high on trialability had higher compliance rates than those low on trialability (55.6% vs 36.8%; P = 0.03). Overall, all the characteristics of the clinical recommendations considered in the practice guidelines could account for no more than 47% of the observed variability in compliance rates. The target area of practice and the complexity and trialability of the recommended procedure appear to be useful, if partial, predictors of the level of compliance with a practice guideline.

Encuesta sobre prácticas de medicina preventiva / Survey on practics of preventive medicine

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar las acciones de medicina preventiva que toman estudiantes avanzados de ciencias de la salud para si mismo. Se revisan las principales prácticas preventivas (medidas de seguridad en tránsito, consumo de tóxicos, prevención de enfermedades transmisibles, dieta y actividad física, controles médicos y odontológicos periódicos) para ello: Se realizó una encuesta anónima entre estudiantes de último año de las carreras de medicina y enfermeria universitaria. Se detectaron prevalencias promedio de medidas de seguridad en tránsito 21 por ciento, sobrepeso 40 por ciento, tabaquismo 45 por ciento, inmunización contra hepatítis "B" 75 por ciento, contra tétanos 63,5 por ciento, contra sarampión, rubeola, paperas y varicela 47 por ciento, controles odontológicos 18 por ciento, controles ginecológicos 71,5 por ciento, colesterolemia 51 por ciento, dieta saludable 41 por ciento, actividad física 40 por ciento, sexo seguro 80 por ciento, conductas apropiadas...