Association Between Health-Related Beliefs and Oral Health Behaviors Among Uninsured Primary Care Patients.
J Prim Care Community Health
; 8(3): 115-121, 2017 Jul.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-27903790
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
The collaborations between dental care providers and other health care providers are especially needed for underserved populations. There is a deficit of research focused on underserved populations who utilize a safety net facility such as a free clinic in the United States. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between health-related beliefs and oral health behaviors among uninsured adults utilizing a primary care free clinic providing oral health care.METHODS:
Uninsured primary care patients utilizing a free clinic (N = 585) participated in a self-administered paper survey in May and June, 2016.RESULTS:
More than 60% of free clinic patients reported a perceived need for dental treatment. Free clinic patients who brush their teeth more than once a day reported better perceived general health compared with those who do not brush their teeth more than once a day. Free clinic patients who had perceived a need for dental treatment reported worse perceived general health compared to those who did not report dental needs.CONCLUSIONS:
The results of this study indicate a pressing need for the further development of dental care services at safety-net clinics. By including dental care in health promotion programs, it will have positive impacts not only on oral health but also on a healthy lifestyle and the general health of underserved populations utilizing a safety-net clinic. The implementation and evaluation of the integrated health programs, which include primary care and oral health care together, would be beneficial to reduce oral health disparities.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Comportamentos Relacionados com a Saúde
/
Atitude Frente a Saúde
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Saúde Bucal
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Pessoas sem Cobertura de Seguro de Saúde
Tipo de estudo:
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2017
Tipo de documento:
Article