RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: We conducted health literacy environmental scans in 26 Maryland community-based dental clinics to identify institutional characteristics and provider practices that affect dental services access and dental caries education. METHODS: In 2011-2012 we assessed user friendliness of the clinics including accessibility, signage, facility navigation, educational materials, and patient forms. We interviewed patients and surveyed dental providers about their knowledge and use of communication techniques. RESULTS: Of 32 clinics, 26 participated. Implementation of the health literacy environmental scan tools was acceptable to the dental directors and provided clinic directors with information to enhance care and outreach. We found considerable variation among clinic facilities, operations, and content of educational materials. There was less variation in types of insurance accepted, no-show rates, methods of communicating with patients, and electronic health records use. Providers who had taken a communication skills course were more likely than those who had not to use recommended communication techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide insight into the use of health literacy environmental scan tools to identify clinic and provider characteristics and practices that can be used to make dental environments more user friendly and health literate.
Assuntos
Clínicas Odontológicas/estatística & dados numéricos , Ambiente de Instituições de Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Letramento em Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Odontologia Comunitária/métodos , Odontologia Comunitária/organização & administração , Odontologia Comunitária/estatística & dados numéricos , Cárie Dentária/prevenção & controle , Clínicas Odontológicas/métodos , Clínicas Odontológicas/organização & administração , Feminino , Educação em Saúde/métodos , Educação em Saúde/estatística & dados numéricos , Ambiente de Instituições de Saúde/métodos , Letramento em Saúde/métodos , Humanos , Entrevistas como Assunto , Diretórios de Sinalização e Localização , Masculino , Maryland/epidemiologia , Saúde BucalRESUMO
The link between a student's health and their ability to learn is well-established. Schools are the intersection of public health programs, dental care, and self-care. This position affords them a unique role and opportunity to enhance health literacy, including oral health literacy. This paper explores the potential of K-12 school programs and the dental profession to address oral health literacy, and, in so doing, provide future participants with essential skills to promote their oral health.
Assuntos
Educação , Educação em Saúde Bucal , Letramento em Saúde , Saúde Bucal , Adolescente , Adulto , Atitude Frente a Saúde , California , Criança , Defesa da Criança e do Adolescente , Redes Comunitárias , Assistência Odontológica , Família , Feminino , Educação em Saúde , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Promoção da Saúde , Humanos , Masculino , Serviços de Odontologia Escolar , Serviços de Saúde Escolar , Autocuidado , Meio Social , EnsinoRESUMO
Purpose: The objective of this qualitative pilot study was to gain an in-depth understanding of dental hygienists and dentists perspectives regarding children's oral health and what needs to be done to prevent early childhood caries (ECC), the most frequent chronic disease of childhood.Methods: A skilled facilitator conducted four focus groups and four phone interviews with 20 dental hygienists and 17 dentists practicing in a variety of locations within the state of Maryland. The interview guide was based on results from previous state-wide surveys of dental hygienists and dentists. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and reviewed by the PI and facilitator. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify and manually code themes.Results: Focus groups and interviews provided rich and insightful information for strategies to help solve the ECC problem in Maryland, which supplemented the earlier quantitative mail survey data. Three key themes emerged: challenges to preventing ECC among low-income families; necessary educational methods and practices; and, the need for inter-professional collaboration. Discussions focused on issues related to educating parents with low oral health literacy about how to prevent ECC and the value of including non-dental health care providers, such as pediatricians and school nurses, in the caries prevention process.Conclusions: Current approaches to educating low-income adults about caries prevention are insufficient to prevent ECC and dental care providers cannot accomplish this goal alone. Ensuring that all dental care providers have a science-based understanding of caries prevention is critical. Integrating science-based oral health preventive care into medical and nursing undergraduate programs could increase providers' knowledge and confidence towards incorporating oral health into patient care plans; improve the oral health literacy of providers and patients; and improve patient oral health outcomes.
Assuntos
Atitude do Pessoal de Saúde , Assistência Odontológica para Crianças , Cárie Dentária/prevenção & controle , Higienistas Dentários/psicologia , Odontólogos/psicologia , Letramento em Saúde , Percepção , Pré-Escolar , Doença Crônica , Assistência Odontológica , Cárie Dentária/diagnóstico , Higienistas Dentários/estatística & dados numéricos , Odontólogos/estatística & dados numéricos , Grupos Focais , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Pessoal de Saúde , Humanos , Maryland , Saúde Bucal , Educação de Pacientes como Assunto , Pediatras/psicologia , Projetos Piloto , Pobreza , Odontologia Preventiva , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Serviços de Enfermagem Escolar , Inquéritos e Questionários , TelefoneRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: We examined nurse practitioners' use and opinions of recommended communication techniques for the promotion of oral health as part of a Maryland state-wide oral health literacy assessment. Use of recommended health-literate and patient-centered communication techniques have demonstrated improved health outcomes. METHODS: A 27-item self-report survey, containing 17 communication technique items, across 5 domains, was mailed to 1,410 licensed nurse practitioners (NPs) in Maryland in 2010. Use of communication techniques and opinions about their effectiveness were analyzed using descriptive statistics. General linear models explored provider and practice characteristics to predict differences in the total number and the mean number of communication techniques routinely used in a week. RESULTS: More than 80% of NPs (N = 194) routinely used 3 of the 7 basic communication techniques: simple language, limiting teaching to 2-3 concepts, and speaking slowly. More than 75% of respondents believed that 6 of the 7 basic communication techniques are effective. Sociodemographic provider characteristics and practice characteristics were not significant predictors of the mean number or the total number of communication techniques routinely used by NPs in a week. Potential predictors for using more of the 7 basic communication techniques, demonstrating significance in one general linear model each, were: assessing the office for user-friendliness and ever taking a communication course in addition to nursing school. CONCLUSIONS: NPs in Maryland self-reported routinely using some recommended health-literate communication techniques, with belief in their effectiveness. Our findings suggest that NPs who had assessed the office for patient-friendliness or who had taken a communication course beyond their initial education may be predictors for using more of the 7 basic communication techniques. These self-reported findings should be validated with observational studies. Graduate and continuing education for NPs should increase emphasis on health-literate and patient-centered communication techniques to increase patient understanding of dental caries prevention. Non-dental healthcare providers, such as NPs, are uniquely positioned to contribute to preventing early childhood dental caries through health-literate and patient-centered communication.