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Raskin SE, Thakkar-Samtani M, Santoro M, Fleming EB, Heaton LJ, Tranby EP. Discrimination and Dignity Experiences in Prior Oral Care Visits Predict Racialized Oral Health Inequities Among Nationally Representative US Adults. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023:10.1007/s40615-023-01821-0. [PMID: 37848669 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01821-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Racism, an oppressive and fallacious sociopolitical hierarchy, is a fundamental cause of oral health inequities worldwide. Everyday discrimination is associated with worse self-rated oral health, toothache and adult tooth loss, and lower oral care utilization. Few studies examine discrimination or microaggressions within oral care settings or their effects on oral health outcomes. We adapted the seven-item Everyday Discrimination Scale to the oral care setting (EDSOC); developed a four-item Dignity in Oral Care Scale (DOCS); fielded them to a probability-based nationally representative sample of US households as part of the 2022 State of Oral Health Equity in America survey (SOHEA, n = 5682); and examined associations between EDSOC and DOCS scores and three outcomes: self-rated oral health, duration since last oral care visit, and planning for future preventive/routine oral care. Nearly, all EDSCOC and DOCS measures were significantly associated with oral health outcomes. Discrimination experience in dental settings had an additive effect on reporting fair/poor oral health and a suppressive effect on planning a future dental visit. Indignity experience doubled-to-quadrupled the likelihood of reporting fair/poor oral health, not having visited a dentist in 2 years, and not planning a future oral care visit. Racio-ethnically minoritized patients may experience the unjust double bind of resolving urgent dental or completing preventive services needs amidst being treated in a discriminatory manner or without dignity. Oral health stakeholders should invest more effort to understand relationships between racism and oral health outcomes and introduce evidence-based interventions to ultimately abolish this societal harm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Raskin
- L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W. Franklin Street, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA.
| | | | - Morgan Santoro
- Analytics and Data Insights, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Lisa J Heaton
- Analytics and Data Insights, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric P Tranby
- Analytics and Data Insights, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Heaton B, Bond JC, Bae J, Cozier Y. Perceived experiences of racism linked to dental fear and anxiety among Black women. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2023; 51:896-907. [PMID: 35964228 PMCID: PMC9925613 DOI: 10.1111/cdoe.12782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Dental fear and anxiety are known determinants of delaying or avoiding dental care and vary considerably based on factors such as age and gender. However, little is known about dental fear and anxiety in racial/ethnic minority populations, which bear a disproportionate burden of poor oral health outcomes. Structural and social pathways responsible for producing these disparities are also understudied. Experiences of racism over the lifecourse may contribute to poor oral health outcomes through a pathway of dental fear and anxiety. This paper aimed to evaluate perceived experiences with racism, dental fear and anxiety, and the utilization of dental services, in the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS), a United States-based prospective cohort. METHODS Analysis of prospective data obtained from a geographic subset of participants in the BWHS was conducted. In 2014, BWHS participants residing in Massachusetts responded to a mailed oral health questionnaire that included the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (IDAF-4C+) instrument (N = 484; 69% response rate). Previously collected demographic and health information, along with reported experiences of everyday and lifetime racism, obtained from national BWHS questionnaires between 1995 and 2009, were merged with the Massachusetts-based sub-sample. Associations between high dental anxiety (HDA) (mean IDAF-4C+ score ≥2.5 on the dental fear and anxiety module) and oral health outcomes and perceived racism and HDA were explored via prevalence ratios (PR) calculated using log-binomial regression models, including adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS Reported exposures to everyday racism occurred weekly on average for the top 25% of the sample, while 13% of participants reported exposure to multiple (n = 3) experiences of unfair treatment due to their race over their lifetime. HDA was prevalent among 17.8% of the sample and was significantly associated with indicators of poor oral health status. High exposures to everyday and lifetime experiences of racism were positively associated with HDA (PR = 1.08; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.58 and PR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.88, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Significant associations between racism and HDA, and between HDA and poor oral health and reduced utilization of dental care were observed. Dental anxiety may be a pathway through which perceived experiences with racism may impact oral health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Heaton
- Department of Health Policy & Health, Services Research, Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental, Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston, University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Julia C. Bond
- Department of Health Policy & Health, Services Research, Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental, Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston, University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jaeyoung Bae
- Department of Health Policy & Health, Services Research, Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental, Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yvette Cozier
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston, University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Slone Epidemiology Center, Boston, University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Bohlouli S, Dolatabadi S, Bohlouli B, Amin M. Racial discrimination, self-efficacy, and oral health behaviours in adolescents. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289783. [PMID: 37582117 PMCID: PMC10426965 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
To examine the mediation effect of discrimination on the association of self-efficacy and oral health behaviours among adolescents. A cross sectional study of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years who were recruited from the University outpatient dental clinic were asked to complete a questionnaire consisting of: demographics (12 items), oral health behaviours (7 items), general self-efficacy (10 items) and self-efficacy for self-care (SESS, 15 items). Perceived discrimination was assessed if the adolescent had ever been treated unfairly based on their race. Perceived discrimination was assessed if the adolescent had ever been treated unfairly based on their race. Using pathway analyses, the relationship between oral health behaviours, self-efficacy, and discrimination was explored. Mediation and hierarchal logistic regression analyses were conducted. Of 252 participants, mean (SD) age was 14 (1.8) years old. 60% were female, 81% were born in Canada, 56% identified themselves as White, and 20% perceived discrimination. Mean score of all task-specific self-efficacies were significantly different within respective oral health behaviour categories (P-value <0.001). Of demographics, age and ethnicity (White) were significantly associated with discrimination (OR = 1.25: 95% CI; 1.06-1.48 and OR = 0.29: 95% CI; 0.15-0.55, respectively). Perceived discrimination was positively associated with higher sugar consumption and mediate the association between diet self-efficacy and adolescent's dietary behaviour. Significant mediation effect of perceived discrimination on the association of diet specific self-efficacy and diet oral health behaviour was observed. Oral health behaviours were self-reported which may have influenced the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Bohlouli
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | | | - Babak Bohlouli
- School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Maryam Amin
- School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
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Cozier YC, Heaton B, Robles Y, C Bond J, I Garcia R, Coogan P, Rosenberg L. Perceived racism associated with declines in self-rated oral health among U.S. Black women. Ann Epidemiol 2023; 84:54-59. [PMID: 37244316 PMCID: PMC10525027 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Racial disparities in oral health are well-documented. Stress has been associated with both perceived racism and oral health, yet little research has directly investigated the association between perceived racism and oral health. METHODS We used data from the Black Women's Health Study, a longitudinal cohort study that includes a geographically diverse sample of Black women across the United States. Perceived exposure to racism was assessed via two scales, one assessing lifetime exposure and one everyday exposure. Self-rated oral health was subsequently assessed over multiple time points. We used Cox proportional hazard models to calculate adjusted incidence rate ratios estimating the association between higher levels of perceived racism and incident "fair" or "poor" oral health, and explored potential effect measure modification using stratified models. RESULTS The adjusted incidence rate ratios (n = 27,008) relating perceived racism to incident fair or poor oral health were 1.50 (95% confidence interval 1.35, 1.66) comparing the highest quartile of everyday racism to the lowest and 1.45 (95% confidence interval 1.31, 1.61) for the highest score of lifetime racism compared to the lowest. We did not see evidence of effect modification. CONCLUSIONS Higher levels of perceived racism documented in 2009 were associated with declines in self-rated oral health from 2011 to 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette C Cozier
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Brenda Heaton
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA.
| | - Yvonne Robles
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA
| | - Julia C Bond
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA
| | - Raul I Garcia
- Department of Health Policy and Health Services Research, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA
| | | | - Lynn Rosenberg
- Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, Boston, MA
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Haeny AM, Holmes SC, Woerner J, Hicks TA, Ahuja M, Overstreet C, Amstadter A, Sartor CE. The Associations of Racial Discrimination and Neighborhood Disadvantage With World Assumptions Among Black, Latine, and Asian Young Adults. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:6798-6818. [PMID: 36433838 PMCID: PMC10211824 DOI: 10.1177/08862605221137701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The theory of shattered assumptions proposes that experiencing traumatic events can change how people view themselves and the world. Most adults experience a traumatic event during their lifetime, and some subsequently develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the current conceptualization of trauma (i.e., Criterion A PTSD) may be too narrow to adequately capture the range of potentially traumatizing events that People of Color experience, including racial discrimination and neighborhood disadvantage. This study investigated the association of racial discrimination and neighborhood disadvantage with core beliefs about the world being safe and predictable (i.e., world assumptions) among a sample of Black, Latine, and Asian young adults. Multi-step analyses of covariance tested associations between racial discrimination and neighborhood disadvantage with world assumptions and whether these held in the context of other traumatic exposures. Results indicated that racial discrimination negatively impacted world assumptions among Asian young adults only and this effect remained in the context of trauma. In addition, low neighborhood support negatively impacted world assumptions across all racial groups and neighborhood violence negatively impacted world assumptions among Latine young adults only; however, this effect did not remain in the context of trauma. This study indicates it is worthwhile to consider other adverse events in the conceptualization of trauma, such as racial discrimination and neighborhood disadvantage, that may impact world assumptions and contribute to subsequent post-trauma psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Manik Ahuja
- East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, USA
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Poirier B, Sethi S, Hedges J, Jamieson L. Building an understanding of Indigenous Health Workers' role in oral health: A qualitative systematic review. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2023; 51:169-179. [PMID: 35324023 DOI: 10.1111/cdoe.12743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Indigenous health workers (IHW) play an integral role in the provision of culturally safe care for Indigenous communities. Despite this, IHW involvement in oral health has been limited. Therefore, this qualitative systematic review aimed to build an understanding of IHW insights on oral health. METHODS Two independent reviewers searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus using a pre-established search strategy. Qualitative studies that included IHW illustrations about oral health were considered. The search was not limited by geographic setting. Included articles were critically appraised with the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tool for qualitative studies. RESULTS The search identified 1856 articles eligible for inclusion; a total of 10 articles were included. Four synthesized findings were identified during the meta-aggregation: oral health challenges in community, systemic barriers limiting IHW ability to support oral health, benefits of IHW involvement in oral health and avenues to increase IHW involvement in oral health. CONCLUSION The prioritization of Indigenous leadership in oral health has the potential to address many of the current challenges Indigenous communities face. Future works need to determine the capacity of IHW to provide oral health care and explore opportunities to create specific oral health roles for IHW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Poirier
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Sneha Sethi
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Joanne Hedges
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lisa Jamieson
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Walker D, Tynan A, Tucker T, Fisher B, Fisher T. Engaging with a rural Aboriginal community to identify strategies to improve oral health within their community: a qualitative study. Aust J Prim Health 2023; 29:38-46. [PMID: 36318903 DOI: 10.1071/py22215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders bear a higher burden of oral disease compared to non-Indigenous persons. Rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are further disadvantaged due to service access difficulties. This study, initiated by community concern for oral health identified through its Health Action Group, aimed to explore a rural Aboriginal community's strategies to resolve oral health problems. CONCLUSION Community members are aware of local barriers and potential facilitators for improving oral health within their community. Their identification of priority strategies can be used to inform the delivery of oral healthcareservices and to develop oral healthcare promotion programs for the community. Co-designing solutions with the community should be an integral part of solving complex problems such as oral health. METHODS A qualitative research study using a phenomenological research design with focus group discussions and in-depth interviews was completed in partnership with a rural community in Queensland, Australia, with a predominantly Aboriginal population. The research team included Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal personnel; community and external personnel; and dental and non-dental personnel. The collaborative approach included the development, implementation, analysis and interpretation of the research involving the community through its Health Action Group. Community engagement led to the recruitment of 27 participants from local health and community groups. RESULTS Themes emerging from the data included: reducing financial barriers to accessing oral health care; integrating oral health care with other health services; increasing oral healthcare promotion activities; and ensuring local input and cultural safety within local oral healthcare services.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Walker
- School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Anna Tynan
- Research Support Team, Baillie Henderson Hospital, Darling Downs Health, Corner of Torr and Hogg Street, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia; and Southern Queensland Rural Health, The University of Queensland, Corner of Torr and Hogg Street, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia
| | - Taygan Tucker
- Oral Health Services - Nhulunbuy, Top End Health Services, Northern Territory Government, Gove Dental Clinic, Endeavour Square, Nhulunbuy, NT 0880, Australia
| | - Barry Fisher
- Kingaroy Hospital, Darling Downs Health, 166 Youngman Street, Kingaroy, Qld 4610, Australia
| | - Tarita Fisher
- Darling Downs Health, PO Box 361, Murgon, Qld 4605, Australia
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Fleming E, Bastos JL, Jamieson L, Celeste RK, Raskin SE, Gomaa N, McGrath C, Tiwari T. Conceptualizing inequities and oppression in oral health research. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2023; 51:28-35. [PMID: 36749670 DOI: 10.1111/cdoe.12822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Major sociohistorical processes have profound effects on oral health, with impacts experienced through structural oppression manifested in policies and practices across the lifespan. Structural oppression drives oral health inequities and impacts population-level oral health. In this global perspective paper, we challenge old assumptions about oral health inequities, address misleading conceptualizations in their description and operation and reframe oral health through the lens of intersecting systems of oppression. Furthermore, we emphasize the need for oral health researchers to explore causal pathways through which oppression harms oral health and engage in social science concepts to understand the root causes of oral health inequities fully. Finally, we call on policymakers, dental scholars and decision makers to consider health equity in all policies and to take a systems-oriented approach to effectively address oral health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - João L Bastos
- Graduate Program in Public Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Lisa Jamieson
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Roger K Celeste
- Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Sarah E Raskin
- iCubed Initiative Oral Health Core, Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia, USA
| | - Noha Gomaa
- Oral Diagnostic Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Canada
| | - Colman McGrath
- Applied Oral Sciences & Community Dental Care, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Tamanna Tiwari
- School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, USA
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Singhal A, Jackson JW. Perceived racial discrimination partially mediates racial-ethnic disparities in dental utilization and oral health. J Public Health Dent 2022; 82 Suppl 1:63-72. [PMID: 35726459 PMCID: PMC9233570 DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Perceived racial discrimination has been associated with poor health outcomes, yet its impact on oral health disparities is not understood. We examine the role of perceived racial discrimination in healthcare settings in explaining racial‐ethnic disparities in dental visits and tooth loss. Methods We used behavioral risk factor surveillance system (BRFSS) data for 2014 from four diverse states (AZ, MN, MS and NM) that included “reactions to race” module. Using Poisson regression to estimate risk ratios, we employed inverse odds ratio(IOR)‐weighted estimation for mediation analyses to estimate the role of perceived discrimination, after equalizing other confounders and risk factors. Results We found that among those with similar risk factors, those who experienced racial discrimination were 15% less likely to visit a dentist, and 12% more likely to have tooth loss than those who were treated same as other races. Both Hispanics and non‐Hispanic Blacks were 26% less likely to visit a dentist (for Hispanics, RR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.69–0.78; for non‐Hispanic Blacks, RR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.70–0.79), and non‐Hispanic Blacks were 36% more likely to have tooth loss relative to non‐Hispanic Whites with similar risk factors (RR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.28–1.45). Perceived discrimination appears to contribute to racial‐ethnic disparities in dental utilization among Hispanics, and disparities in tooth loss among non‐Hispanic Blacks, relative to non‐Hispanic Whites. Conclusions Perceived racial discrimination partially explains the racial‐ethnic disparities in dental utilization and tooth loss among those who otherwise share the same risk factors for these outcomes. Addressing discrimination and systemic racism can reduce the racial‐ethnic disparities in oral health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astha Singhal
- Health Policy and Health Services Research, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John W Jackson
- Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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10
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Tooth loss over 13 years of follow-up: can regular dental visits reduce racial and socioeconomic inequalities? J Dent 2022; 122:104110. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Fleming E, Raskin SE, Brody E. From describing disparities to understanding why disparities exist: Anti-racist methods to support dental public health research. J Public Health Dent 2022; 82 Suppl 1:73-78. [PMID: 35726470 PMCID: PMC9541958 DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Racism is understudied in the oral health literature at the same time that race is overutilized as an explanatory factor in study design. Social and behavioral methodologies offer conceptual models that can be used to include racism in dental public health questions. In addition, interdisciplinary and mixed methods approaches allow for understanding racism as an underlying cause of social and health disparities and exploring solutions that address historical, institutional, social, political, and economic drivers of oral health inequity, while recognizing the limits of measuring racism quantitatively. In a collective acknowledgement of the limitations of conventional methods, there are new opportunities to explore how qualitative and mixed methods research can serve as drivers for both social justice and health equity, while building and sustaining a diverse research workforce that can better close these disparities and offer antiracist solutions to oral health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Fleming
- Department of Dental Public health, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sarah E Raskin
- iCubed Oral Health Core, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs and Department of Dental Public Health and Policy, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Erica Brody
- Health Sciences Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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12
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Tynan A, Walker D, Tucker T, Fisher B, Fisher T. Managing oral health care and prevention: The experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living in a rural community in Queensland, Australia. Aust J Rural Health 2022; 30:228-237. [PMID: 35196414 PMCID: PMC9306970 DOI: 10.1111/ajr.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To understand the experience of rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in engaging with oral health care services and programs in order to support the development of oral health services and prevention programs that better meet their needs. Design The study used a qualitative research design, which aims to describe participants' lived experience of engaging with oral health services and prevention programs in a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Focus group discussions and in‐depth interviews were conducted with 27 participants. The 15 transcribed discussions were analysed using a 6‐step phenomenological process. Setting A rural community in Queensland, Australia, with a predominantly Aboriginal population. Participants Participants were purposively recruited from established health and community groups. Main outcome System‐level barriers to accessing and engaging with oral health services and prevention influence how communities manage oral health and seek treatment. Results The study identified 4 main themes describing the community's experience: service location and the efforts required to access oral health services; the financial burden of accessing oral health care and practising prevention; lack of confidence in oral health services; and the avoidance or delaying of accessing care for dental problems. Results confirmed a high burden of oral disease but limited attendance at an oral health facility and difficulties engaging in preventative oral health behaviours. Treatment seeking was usually instigated by the experience of pain and typically at a tertiary health facility. Conclusion Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in rural communities experience a high burden of oral disease but have limited engagement with oral health services. This is associated with system‐level barriers to accessing and engaging with oral health services and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tynan
- Baillie Henderson Hospital, Darling Downs Health, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.,The Rural Clinical School, The University of Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
| | - David Walker
- School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Taygan Tucker
- Kingaroy Hospital, Darling Downs Health, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia
| | - Barry Fisher
- Kingaroy Hospital, Darling Downs Health, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia
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Bulgarelli AF, Dos Santos CM, Rech RS, Baumgarten A, Goulart BN. Tooth Loss Condition and Social Discrimination in Brazilian Healthcare Services. Int J Public Health 2021; 66:586597. [PMID: 34744559 PMCID: PMC8565290 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2021.586597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To explore factors associated with social discrimination against users of health services regarding dental aesthetic conditions. Methods: Based on a Brazilian National Survey, multivariate Poisson regressions with robust variance were used to explore the association of outcome discrimination related to different motivations in health services and exposure to sociodemographic and dental variables. Effect modification by complete prosthesis wearing was assessed. Results: Among the 60,200 people interviewed, 11.5% reported being discriminated against in health services. For women, a higher prevalence of discrimination was found among those in the age group of 30–44 years. For both sexes, discrimination was associated with black and brown skin color. Regarding dental characteristics, the higher the tooth loss was, the higher the prevalence of discrimination; however, complete prosthesis wearing presented as a protective factor. Social discrimination was the major motivation for reported discrimination and presented higher prevalence in edentulous individuals who did not wear prosthesis. Conclusion: Dental loss may lead to self-reported discrimination in health care services. The prevalence of discrimination increases when tooth loss increases, and the major reason associated is social discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre F Bulgarelli
- Graduate Program in Collective Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Camila M Dos Santos
- Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rafaela S Rech
- Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Baumgarten
- Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Bárbara N Goulart
- Psychology Institute, Department of health and human communication, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Kong A, Dickson M, Ramjan L, Sousa MS, Goulding J, Chao J, George A. A Qualitative Study Exploring the Experiences and Perspectives of Australian Aboriginal Women on Oral Health during Pregnancy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:8061. [PMID: 34360351 PMCID: PMC8345349 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18158061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore whether oral health was an important consideration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during pregnancy, whether oral health could be promoted by Aboriginal health staff, and strategies that would be appropriate to use in a new model of care. A qualitative descriptive methodology underpinned the study. All participants in this study identified as Aboriginal, with no Torres Strait Islander participants, and were from New South Wales, Australia. The interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. From the data, two themes were constructed. The first theme identified that oral health was not always the first priority for participants as poor accessibility alongside other competing commitments were challenges to accessing oral health services. The second theme highlighted how relationships with personal networks and healthcare providers were essential and could be used to support maternal oral health during pregnancy. Effective strategies to promote oral health during pregnancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women should involve key stakeholders and health care providers, like Aboriginal Health Workers, to facilitate culturally safe support and tailored oral health advice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana Kong
- Centre for Oral Health Outcomes and Research Translation (COHORT), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (L.R.); (A.G.)
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia
| | - Michelle Dickson
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia;
| | - Lucie Ramjan
- Centre for Oral Health Outcomes and Research Translation (COHORT), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (L.R.); (A.G.)
- Translational Health Research Institute, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
| | - Mariana S. Sousa
- IMPACCT—Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia;
| | - Joanne Goulding
- Primary and Community Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia;
| | - Jemma Chao
- The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia;
| | - Ajesh George
- Centre for Oral Health Outcomes and Research Translation (COHORT), School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; (L.R.); (A.G.)
- South Western Sydney Local Health District, Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia
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Experiences of Racism among Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Prevalence, Sources, and Association with Mental Health. Can J Aging 2021; 39:178-189. [PMID: 31230607 DOI: 10.1017/s071498081900031x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Cet article présente une analyse inédite de l'association entre la discrimination raciale et la détresse psychologique chez les personnes âgées indigènes et insulaires du détroit de Torres. Les résultats indiquent : (1) qu'une minorité importante d'aînés appartenant aux populations indigènes et insulaires du détroit de Torres ont été victimes de racisme (tel qu'expérimenté et mesuré en fonction d'inégalités de traitement) et d'évitement ; (2) qu'une association entre les expériences de racisme ou d'évitement et la détresse psychologique peut être mise en évidence, et que cette relation demeure robuste malgré la considération d'une variété de facteurs confondants et de caractéristiques complexes associées à la conception des enquêtes ; et (3) les associations entre le racisme et la détresse sont amplifiées en fonction de l'intensité du racisme et des comportements d'évitement. L'association reste robuste ou se trouve renforcée lorsque le racisme et l'évitement se produisent dans le cadre de contextes cruciaux au développement du capital humain des personnes âgées (p. ex. soins de santé, éducation, milieu de travail). Nos résultats soulignent l'importance des programmes et des services sociaux et de santé culturellement sécuritaires, ainsi que la nécessité de contrer la discrimination sous toutes ses formes. This article presents the first nationally representative analysis of the association between racial discrimination and psychological distress among older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Results show: (1) experiences of racism (as measured by unfair treatment) and avoidance are encountered by a significant minority of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; (2) there is a clear association between experiences of racism and avoidance with psychological distress, with these results being robust to a range of confounding factors and complex survey design features; and (3) the associations between racism and distress are amplified by the severity of racism, and, when occurring, with avoidance. The association remains strong or is strengthened when racism and avoidance occur in contexts or situations crucial to the human capital development of older people (e.g., health care, education, and the workplace). Our findings underscore the importance of culturally safe health and social services/programs and further the imperative to address discrimination in all its forms.
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Jamieson LM, Hedges J, Ju X, Kapellas K, Leane C, Haag DG, Santiago PR, Macedo DM, Roberts RM, Smithers LG. Cohort profile: South Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort (SAABC)-a prospective longitudinal birth cohort. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e043559. [PMID: 33619192 PMCID: PMC7903076 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The South Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort (SAABC) is a prospective, longitudinal birth cohort established to: (1) estimate Aboriginal child dental disease compared with population estimates; (2) determine the efficacy of an early childhood caries intervention in early versus late infancy; (3) examine if efficacy was sustained over time and; (4) document factors influencing social, behavioural, cognitive, anthropometric, dietary and educational attainment over time. PARTICIPANTS The original SAABC comprised 449 women pregnant with an Aboriginal child recruited February 2011 to May 2012. At child age 2 years, 324 (74%) participants were retained, at age 3 years, 324 (74%) participants were retained and at age 5 years, 299 (69%) participants were retained. Fieldwork for follow-up at age 7 years is underway, with funding available for follow-up at age 9 years. FINDINGS TO DATE At baseline, 53% of mothers were aged 14-24 years and 72% had high school or less educational attainment. At age 3 years, dental disease experience was higher among children exposed to the intervention later rather than earlier in infancy. The effect was sustained at age 5 years, but rates were still higher than general child population estimates. Experiences of racism were high among mothers, with impacts on both tooth brushing and toothache. Compared with population estimates, levels of self-efficacy and self-rated oral health of mothers at baseline were low. FUTURE PLANS Our data have contributed to a better understanding of the environmental, behavioural, dietary, biological and psychosocial factors contributing to Aboriginal child oral and general health, and social and emotional well-being. This is beneficial in charting the trajectory of cohort participants' health and well-being overtime, particularly in identifying antecedents of chronic diseases which are highly prevalent among Aboriginal Australians. Funding for continued follow-up of the cohort will be sought. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12611000111976; Post-results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Jamieson
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Joanne Hedges
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adeliade, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - X Ju
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adeliade, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Kostas Kapellas
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adeliade, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Cathy Leane
- South Australian Government, Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Dandara G Haag
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH), Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Better Start Child Health and Development Research Group, School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Pedro Ribeiro Santiago
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adeliade, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Davi Manzini Macedo
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adeliade, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rachel M Roberts
- School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Lisa G Smithers
- School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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17
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Ali A, Rumbold AR, Kapellas K, Lassi ZS, Hedges J, Jamieson L. The impact of interpersonal racism on oral health related quality of life among Indigenous South Australians: a cross-sectional study. BMC Oral Health 2021; 21:46. [PMID: 33541319 PMCID: PMC7860008 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-021-01399-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Interpersonal racism has had a profound impact on Indigenous populations globally, manifesting as negative experiences and discrimination at an individual, institutional and systemic level. Interpersonal racism has been shown to negatively influence a range of health outcomes but has received limited attention in the context of oral health. The aim of this paper was to examine the effects of experiences of interpersonal racism on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among Indigenous South Australians. Methods Data were sourced from a large convenience sample of Indigenous South Australian adults between February 2018 and January 2019. Questionnaires were used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics, cultural values, utilization of dental services, and other related factors. OHRQoL was captured using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. We defined the dependent variable 'poor OHRQoL' as the presence of one or more OHIP-14 items rated as ‘very often’ or ‘fairly often'. Experiences of racism were recorded using the Measure of Indigenous Racism Experiences instrument. Interpersonal racism was classified into two categories (‘no racism’ vs ‘any racism in ≥ 1 setting’) and three categories ('no racism', 'low racism' (experienced in 1–3 settings), and 'high racism' (experienced in 4–9 settings)). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between interpersonal racism, covariates and OHRQoL, adjusting for potential confounding related to socioeconomic factors and access to dental services. Results Data were available from 885 participants (88.7% of the total cohort). Overall, 52.1% reported experiencing any interpersonal racism in the previous 12 months, approximately one-third (31.6%) were classified as experiencing low racism, and one-fifth (20.5%) experienced high racism. Poor OHRQoL was reported by half the participants (50.2%). Relative to no experiences of racism in the previous 12 months, those who experienced any racism (≥ 1 setting) were significantly more likely to report poor OHRQoL (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.43; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.08–1.92), after adjusting for age, education level, possession of an income-tested health care card, car ownership, self-reported oral health status, timing of and reason for last dental visit, not going to a dentist because of cost, and having no family support. This was particularly seen among females, where, relative to males, the odds of having poor OHRQoL among females experiencing racism were 1.74 times higher (95% CI: 1.07–2.81). Conclusion Our findings indicate that the experience of interpersonal racism has a negative impact on OHRQoL among Indigenous Australians. The association persisted after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Identifying this link adds weight to the importance of addressing OHRQoL among South Australian’s Indigenous population by implementing culturally-sensitive strategies to address interpersonal racism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ali
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, 30 Frome Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
| | - Alice R Rumbold
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, 30 Frome Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.,South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Kostas Kapellas
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Zohra S Lassi
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, 30 Frome Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Joanne Hedges
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
| | - Lisa Jamieson
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, 4 North Terrace, Adelaide, 5005, Australia
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Cave L, Cooper MN, Zubrick SR, Shepherd CCJ. Racial discrimination and allostatic load among First Nations Australians: a nationally representative cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:1881. [PMID: 33287764 PMCID: PMC7720631 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09978-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased allostatic load is linked with racial discrimination exposure, providing a mechanism for the biological embedding of racism as a psychosocial stressor. We undertook an examination of how racial discrimination interacts with socioecological, environmental, and health conditions to affect multisystem dysregulation in a First Nations population. METHODS We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) using indicators of life stress, socioeconomic background, and physical and mental health from a nationally representative sample of Australian Aboriginal adults (N = 2056). We used LCA with distal outcomes to estimate the effect of the latent class variable on our derived allostatic load index and conducted a stratified analysis to test whether allostatic load varied based on exposure to racial discrimination across latent classes. RESULTS Our psychosocial, environmental, and health measures informed a four-class structure; 'Low risk', 'Challenged but healthy', 'Mental health risk' and 'Multiple challenges'. Mean allostatic load was highest in 'Multiple challenges' compared to all other classes, both in those exposed (4.5; 95% CI: 3.9, 5.0) and not exposed (3.9; 95% CI: 3.7, 4.2) to racial discrimination. Allostatic load was significantly higher for those with exposure to racial discrimination in the 'Multiple challenges' class (t = 1.74, p = .04) and significantly lower in the 'Mental health risk' class (t = - 1.67, p = .05). CONCLUSIONS Racial discrimination may not always modify physiological vulnerability to disease. Social and economic contexts must be considered when addressing the impact of racism, with a focus on individuals and sub-populations experiencing co-occurring life challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Cave
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia.
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia.
| | - Matthew N Cooper
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia
| | - Stephen R Zubrick
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia
- Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, Western Australia, 6009, Australia
| | - Carrington C J Shepherd
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, PO Box 855, West Perth, Western Australia, 6872, Australia
- Ngangk Yira Research Centre for Aboriginal Health & Social Equity, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
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19
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Schuch HS, Haag DG, Bastos JL, Paradies Y, Jamieson LM. Intersectionality, racial discrimination and oral health in Australia. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2020; 49:87-94. [PMID: 33022103 DOI: 10.1111/cdoe.12581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a dearth of studies on the extent to which perceived racial discrimination shapes oral health. Following an intersectional perspective, we estimated the prevalence of perceived racial discrimination in Australia, its association with oral health impairment, and examined whether this association was more severe among low socioeconomic status (SES) groups. METHODS Data came from the 2013 National Dental Telephone Interview Survey (N = 2798), a population-based study of Australian adults. Multivariable Poisson regression models were estimated to test the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and self-reported oral health impairment, as well as to investigate whether the magnitude of this association was greater among low-SES respondents. Relative Excess Risks due to Interaction (RERI) were used to indicate the presence of potentially large discrimination effects within low-SES strata. RESULTS Racial discrimination in the past 12 months was reported by 11.5% of all participants. Australians reporting racial discrimination had 1.4 (95% CI 1.1, 1.7) times the prevalence of impaired oral health. The association between perceived racial discrimination and oral health impairment was stronger among low-SES groups. The RERI was 0.55, indicating a super-additive Effect Measure Modification (EMM) by income on the additive scale. Similar results were observed with the EMM analyses by educational attainment. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that perceived racial discrimination, as a specific form of widespread inequality, is associated with higher frequencies of oral health impairment among Australian adults. We also suggest that socially marginalized groups bear a greater burden of the oral health effects of racial discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena S Schuch
- Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - Dandara G Haag
- Adelaide Dental School, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - João Luiz Bastos
- Department of Public Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - Yin Paradies
- Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia
| | - Lisa M Jamieson
- Adelaide Dental School, Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH), University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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20
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Cuevas AG, Ong AD, Carvalho K, Ho T, Chan SW(C, Allen JD, Chen R, Rodgers J, Biba U, Williams DR. Discrimination and systemic inflammation: A critical review and synthesis. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:465-479. [PMID: 32688027 PMCID: PMC8362502 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to discrimination or unfair treatment has emerged as an important risk factor for illness and disease that disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities. Discriminatory experiences may operate like other stressors in that they activate physiological responses that adversely affect the maintenance of homeostasis. Research suggests that inflammation plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of stress-related diseases. Recent findings on discrimination and inflammation are discussed. We highlight limitations in the current evidence and provide recommendations for future studies that seek to examine the association between discrimination and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolfo G. Cuevas
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States,Corresponding author at: Tufts University, Department of Community Health, 574 Boston Ave, Suite 208, Medford, MA 02155, United States. (A.G. Cuevas)
| | - Anthony D. Ong
- Department of Human Development, Cornell University, United States,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, United States
| | - Keri Carvalho
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States
| | - Thao Ho
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States
| | | | | | - Ruijia Chen
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States
| | - Justin Rodgers
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States
| | - Ursula Biba
- Department of Community Health, Tufts University, United States
| | - David R. Williams
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, United States,Department of African and African American Studies, Harvard University, United States
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21
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Bastos JL, Constante HM, Celeste RK, Haag DG, Jamieson LM. Advancing racial equity in oral health (research): more of the same is not enough. Eur J Oral Sci 2020; 128:459-466. [PMID: 32969112 DOI: 10.1111/eos.12737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
By critically appraising the literature on the oral health effects of race-based oppression, this focus article makes four recommendations that may both facilitate more nuanced research on the topic and mitigate racial/ethnic inequities in (oral) health. The first is recognizing that science itself may perpetuate racial/ethnic injustice, such that adopting a 'neutral' position must be replaced with actively fostering anti-racist narratives. The second is to not imply that racial oppression is bad because it harms oral health. Rather, studies should help build a fairer world, wherein oral health inequities would not abound. The third recommendation is encouraging initiatives that understand systems of oppression as conjointly operating to shape oral health. The fourth and final recommendation is taking race-based oppression as a multi-level system that operates on three inter-related conceptual levels - intra-personal, inter-personal, and structural. The extent to which scholars, practitioners, and policymakers are willing to follow these recommendations may determine how successful attempts to eradicate (oral) health inequities might be. Learning from, and avoiding mistakes made in, previous publications is one ethical pathway towards this end.
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Affiliation(s)
- João L Bastos
- Department of Public Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Helena M Constante
- Department of Public Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Roger K Celeste
- Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Dandara G Haag
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Lisa M Jamieson
- Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, Adelaide Dental School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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22
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Tynan A, Walker D, Tucker T, Fisher B, Fisher T. Factors influencing the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Australia. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:514. [PMID: 32303214 PMCID: PMC7164228 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-08673-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Indigenous Australians suffer from higher rates of oral disease and have more untreated dental problems and tooth extractions than the general population. Indigenous Australians also have lower rates of accessing oral health services and are more likely to visit for a problem rather than a check-up. Multiple issues effect health service and prevention programs including: characteristics of health services such as distances to health services; existence of social and cultural barriers; available wealth and social support; and, characteristics of the individual and community including the importance given to the disease. This paper seeks to explore the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Indigenous community in Australia and the factors influencing this perception. Methods The study used a phenomenology research design incorporating focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. It was undertaken in partnership with communities’ Health Action Group who guided the focus, implementation and reporting of the research. A convenience sample was recruited from established community groups. Thematic analysis on the transcripts was completed. Results Twenty-seven community members participated in three focus groups and twelve in-depth interviews. The study found that the community gives high priority to oral health. Factors influencing the importance include: the perceived severity of symptoms of oral disease such as pain experienced due to tooth ache; lack of enabling resources such as access to finance and transport; the social impact of oral disease on individuals including impact on their personal appearance and self-esteem; and health beliefs including oral health awareness. Participants also noted that the importance given to oral health within the community competed with the occurrence of multiple health concerns and family responsibilities. Conclusion This paper highlights the high importance this rural Indigenous community gives to oral health. Its findings suggest that under-utilisation of oral health services is influenced by both major barriers faced in accessing oral health services; and the number and severity of competing health and social concerns within the community. The study results confirm the importance of establishing affordable, culturally appropriate, community-based oral health care services to improve the oral health of rural Indigenous communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tynan
- Research Fellow, Research Support Team, Baillie Henderson Hospital, Darling Downs Health, Corner of Torr and Hogg Street, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. .,Honorary Research Fellow, The Rural Clinical School, The University of Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia.
| | - David Walker
- Honorary Research Fellow. School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Taygan Tucker
- Dental Therapist, Oral Health Services - Nhulunbuy, Top End Health Services, Northern Territory Government Endeavour Square, Gove Dental Clinic, Endeavour Square, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Barry Fisher
- Indigenous Liaison Officer, Kingaroy Hospital, Darling Downs Health, 166 Youngman Street, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tarita Fisher
- Health Service Manager, Darling Downs Health, PO Box 361, Murgon, Queensland, Australia
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Prevalence and Factors Associated with Visiting the Dentist Only for Emergency Care Among Indigenous People in Ontario. J Immigr Minor Health 2020; 22:96-101. [PMID: 30820732 DOI: 10.1007/s10903-019-00872-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Ontario has the largest Indigenous population in Canada. This study aims to examine the prevalence and factors associated with poor dental care use amongst the Indigenous in Ontario. Data from the 2014 cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey was used. The main outcome was defined as visiting the dentist only for emergency care. Stepwise multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the association between socio-demographic, socio-economic, and the health related factors and emergency dental care use. 28% of the participants reported visiting the dentist only for emergencies. First Nations people were at increased odds of having poor dental care (OR 2.01, CI 1.12-3.95). Additionally, being male, a smoker, having fair/poor health and lacking dental insurance puts the Indigenous Ontarians at increased odds of having the outcome. Improvements to the current social benefit programs could help better cater to the needs of this population.
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Racial Discrimination and Uptake of Dental Services among American Adults. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16091558. [PMID: 31060202 PMCID: PMC6540199 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16091558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between racial discrimination and use of dental services among American adults. We used data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a health-related telephone cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. Racial discrimination was indicated by two items, namely perception of discrimination while seeking healthcare within the past 12 months and emotional impact of discrimination within the past 30 days. Their association with dental visits in the past year was tested in logistic regression models adjusting for predisposing (age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, smoking status), enabling (health insurance), and need (missing teeth) factors. Approximately 3% of participants reported being discriminated when seeking healthcare in the past year, whereas 5% of participants reported the emotional impact of discrimination in the past month. Participants who experienced emotional impact of discrimination were less likely to have visited the dentist during the past year (Odds Ratios (OR): 0.57; 95% CI 0.44-0.73) than those who reported no emotional impact in a crude model. The association was attenuated but remained significant after adjustments for confounders (OR: 0.76, 95% CI 0.58-0.99). There was no association between healthcare discrimination and last year dental visit in the fully adjusted model. Emotional impact of racial discrimination was an important predictor of use of dental services. The provision of dental health services should be carefully assessed after taking account of racial discrimination and its emotional impacts within the larger context of social inequalities.
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Finlayson TL, Lemus H, Becerra K, Kaste LM, Beaver SM, Salazar CR, Singer RH, Youngblood ME. Unfair Treatment and Periodontitis Among Adults in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2018; 5:1093-1106. [PMID: 29327269 PMCID: PMC6760848 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-017-0459-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This study investigates how perceived unfair treatment, towards self and observed towards others due to ethnicity, is associated with periodontitis among diverse Hispanic/Latino adults, accounting for sociodemographic, health behavior, and acculturation factors. Baseline (2008-2011) dental and survey data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a multicenter epidemiologic study, were analyzed (N = 12,750). Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios and confidence limits were estimated. Half (49%) reported never being treated unfairly, while 41% reported they were sometimes, and 10% reported it often/always. One third (32%) never saw others treated unfairly, while 42% reported it sometimes, and 26% reported it often/always. In the final fully adjusted model, the prevalence of periodontitis was higher among adults who were as follows: non-Dominican, older, male, had a past year dental visit, current and former smokers, and among those who observed unfair treatment towards others. Lower prevalence was associated with higher income, higher educational attainment, less than full-time employment, reporting experiencing unfair treatment, higher acculturation scores, and having health insurance. Perceived unfair treatment towards self was negatively associated with periodontitis prevalence, while observed unfair treatment towards others was positively associated with the outcome among diverse Hispanics/Latinos. The associations between unfair treatment and periodontitis warrant further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Karen Becerra
- Gary and Mary West Senior Dental Center, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Richard H Singer
- Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA and Univesity of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Miami, FL, USA
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Abstract
Together with other social categories, race has been at the core of much scholarly work in the area of humanities and social sciences, as well as a host of applied disciplines. In dentistry, debates have ranged from the use of race as a criterion for the recommendation of specific dental procedures to a means of assessing inequalities in a variety of outcomes. What is missing in these previous discussions, though, is a broader understanding of race that transcends relations with genetic makeup and other individual-level characteristics. In this review, we provide readers with a critique of the existing knowledge on race and oral health by answering the following 3 guiding questions: (1) What concepts and ideas are connected with race in the field of dentistry? (2) What can be learned and what is absent from the existing literature on the topic? (3) How can we enhance research and policy on racial inequalities in oral health? Taken together, the reviewed studies rely either on biological distinctions between racial categories or on other individual characteristics that may underlie racial disparities in oral health. Amidst a range of individual-level factors, racial inequalities have often been attributed to lower socioeconomic status and “health-damaging” cultural traits, for instance, patterns of and reasons for dental visits, dietary habits, and oral hygiene behaviors. While this literature has been useful in documenting large and persistent racial gaps in oral health, wider sociohistorical processes, such as systemic racism, as well as their relationships with economic exploitation, social stigmatization, and political marginalization, have yet to be operationalized among studies on the topic. A nascent body of research has recently begun to address some of these factors, but limited attention to structural theories of racism means that many more studies are needed to effectively mitigate racial health differentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- J.L. Bastos
- Department of Public Health, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
| | - R.K. Celeste
- Department of Preventive and Social Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Y.C. Paradies
- Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Australia
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Yang SE, Park YG, Han K, Min JA, Kim SY. Dental pain related to quality of life and mental health in South Korean adults. PSYCHOL HEALTH MED 2015; 21:981-92. [PMID: 26456324 DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2015.1098781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
High levels of stress, anxiety and depression have been reported in patients with orofacial pain. Dental pain has the potential to reduce quality of life (QOL), and pain relief is important aspect of QOL. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships of dental pain with QOL and mental health using a nationally representative, population-based study. This study analyzed data from the 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (N = 5469). Oral health status was assessed using the oral health questionnaire, and oral examination was performed by trained dentists. Health-related QOL (HRQOL) was evaluated using EQ-5D and EQ-VAS, and mental health was evaluated by questionnaires. Logistic regression was applied to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Among 5469 adults, 1992 (36.42%) presented self-reported dental pain. Participants with anxiety/depression or pain/discomfort, and participants with stress, melancholy, suicidal thought or depression showed significantly higher prevalence of dental pain. After adjusting for covariates, five aspects of QOL and five aspects of mental health were related with dental pain. The AORs (95% CI) for dental pain were 1.39 (1.06-1.81) for mobility, 1.77 (1.19-2.63) for self-care, 1.38 (1.02-1.85) for usual activities, 1.73 (1.43-2.09) for pain/discomfort and 1.50 (1.13-1.98) for anxiety/depression. For mental health status factors, the AORs (95% CI) for dental pain were 1.29 (1.11-1.51) for stress, 1.37 (1.09-1.74) for melancholy, 1.26 (1.01-1.58) for suicidal thoughts, 1.43 (.93-2.19) for consultation to psychiatrist and 1.53 (1.07-2.19) for depression. This study showed that dental pain has an association with lower HRQOL and worse mental health status in South Korean adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Eun Yang
- a Department of Conservative Dentistry , Seoul St. Mary's Dental Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Gyu Park
- b Department of Biostatistics , College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungdo Han
- b Department of Biostatistics , College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Ah Min
- c Department of Psychiatry , Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Republic of Korea
| | - Sin-Young Kim
- a Department of Conservative Dentistry , Seoul St. Mary's Dental Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea , Seoul , Republic of Korea
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Self-reported racism and experience of toothache among pregnant Aboriginal Australians: the role of perceived stress, sense of control, and social support. Br Dent J 2015. [DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.2015.523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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