Factors Associated with Accessing Prison Dental Services in Scotland: A Cross-Sectional Study

Assessment of Oral Health Status in a Prison Population in Northern Portugal

BACKGROUND

Prisoners constitute one of the disadvantaged groups and it is observed that these individuals suffer from poor oral hygiene and the prevalence of oral diseases is higher compared to the general population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The aim of this study is to assess the state of the oral health in a prison population in Northern Portugal. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted involving 103 male prisoners with age between 25 and 75 years old. A questionnaire was presented to all the prisoners and an intraoral clinical examination was performed in each of them.

RESULTS

The sample mean age was 41.58 ± 8.94 years. Most participants consume sugary foods, with 32% consuming then on a daily basis. It was noticed that 13.6% of the participants do not brush their teeth. Most of the prisoners smoke (78.6%) and 70 smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day. The mean DMFT was 17.17 ± 8.23 and the component with the highest weight was the number of missing teeth, with a mean value of 13.14 ± 8.32. It was observed that 7 individuals are edentulous and 64 (62.1%) have caries lesions. It has been noted that of the 64 individuals presenting caries lesions, 47 (73.4%) eat sugary foods, however this relationship is not statistically significant. It was found that the prevalence of periodontal health was 26%, gingivitis was 32.3% and periodontitis was 41.7%. Plaque Index was evaluated according to the periodontal condition, it was observed a significantly lower level of plaque index in the periodontally healthy subjects compared to the subjects with gingivitis and the subjects with periodontitis.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of oral diseases in this prison population is high, as is the loss of teeth. Dental caries is the most observed oral disease, and periodontitis the most common of the periodontal diseases. Key words:Prisoners, Oral health, Caries, DMFT, Periodontitis, Oral diseases.

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF IRANIAN DENTAL STUDENTS ABOUT SMOKING CESSATION COUNSELING

Introduction and Aims

Today, smoking is recognized as the biggest cause of preventable premature death. dentists can play a very important role in motivating and providing smoking cessation counseling and play this role of line requires gaining sufficient knowledge and education during the student period. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge and attitude of dental students in Kerman in the field of smoking cessation counseling.

Methods and materials

This study was descriptive-analytical and crosssectional. The study population was fourth, fifth and sixth year dental students. A questionnaire was used to assess participants knowledge and attitude towards smoking cessation, using the 5 As of smoking cessation. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 21, t-test and chi-square software.

Results

This study showed that the mean score of students' knowledge was 2.13 ± 14.12. There was a significant relationship between knowledge score, gender (women more than men) and the presence of a smoker in the family (P = 0.01, 0.001, respectively). Also, the mean attitude score was 36.25 41 5.41. There was a significant relationship between attitude score, gender (women more than men) and the presence of a smoker in the family (P = 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion

Results of this study showed that the students have good knowledge of the 5As (Ask, Advice, Assess, Assist, Arrange) but that they did not have much information about some parameters under Assess. Also, they have a positive attitude in this regard. Moreover, students believed that time limitations in dental visits and concerns on the effectiveness of smoking cessation consultations are the major obstacle in implementing a smoking cessation plan.

Oral health in prison: an integrative review

PURPOSE

Prisoners' oral health is an often overseen, yet important aspect of the general health of prisoners. To develop effective measures to improve the situation, it is important to get an overview of existing research. The purpose of this study is to examine and analyse existing research on oral health of prisoners and provide a thorough understanding of prisoners' oral health and related factors.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

Due to relatively few scientific papers on prisoners' oral health, an integrative review was chosen. Integrative reviews allow for the inclusion of diverse methodologies. A literature search was conducted, followed by an assessment of the quality of the studies by using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the studies.

FINDINGS

The few studies addressing European prisoners' oral health in the last 21 years differ in design and methodology. The results from this review indicate that prisoners' oral health is a complex phenomenon and should be understood from both individual and organisational perspectives. More research is needed to bridge the gap in the literature on prisoners' oral health.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first literature review on European prisoners' oral health.

Former Incarceration, Time Served, and Perceived Oral Health among African American Women and Men

A large body of research has documented the far-reaching health consequences of mass incarceration in the United States. Yet, less scholarship has examined the relationship between former incarceration and oral health, a key reflection of health and disease occurring within the rest of the body. Using data extracted from the National Survey of American Life (n = 3343), this study examines associations among former incarceration status, duration of detention, and self-reported oral health among African American women and men. Results from gender-stratified ordered logistic models reveal that formerly incarcerated African American men and women experience significantly poorer oral health than their never incarcerated counterparts even after controlling for important social determinants of health. Furthermore, oral health is curvilinearly associated with the length of time that men are incarcerated such that odds of poor health decrease as detention duration increases up to approximately 15 years incarcerated. After 15 years of detainment, the odds of poor health tend to increase as duration increases. Findings extend research identifying gendered spillover health consequences of contact with the criminal legal system. Health professionals and policymakers should be conscious of incarceration as an important deleterious experience for the immediate and long-term condition of people's teeth, mouth, and gums.

A health promotion intervention to improve oral health of prisoners: results from a pilot study

PURPOSE

Prisoners have poorer oral health than the general population. Good oral health is essential for both social and physical well-being. For prisoners, poor oral health is also related to drug use after release, whereas good oral health is related to successful reintegration into society. The purpose of this study was twofold: to examine the effect of an intervention based on motivational interviewing (MI) on prisoners' oral health-related behavior and to assess if the intervention is a good fit for this population.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

In total, 16 prisoners in a Norwegian prison were offered a brief MI-based intervention focusing on changing their oral health-related behavior. An oral examination was also performed and the prisoners received a small package containing oral hygiene aids. Two weeks later, a second oral examination and a semi-structured interview were conducted to explore the effect of the intervention and examine the prisoners' responses to the intervention. Qualitative data analyzes were guided by thematic analysis.

FINDINGS

The findings indicate that the intervention had positive effects on both the prisoners' motivation to use oral health-related behavior and their performance of oral health-related behavior. The findings also indicate that the intervention was well adapted to the target population.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

This is one of the first studies that explore the effect of an intervention in improving prisoners' oral health and bridges a knowledge gap in the literature. The findings may increase the understanding of how dental services should be organized and offered to provide dental health care to this vulnerable group.

Self-Perceived Impact of Oral Health on the Quality of Life of Women Deprived of Their Liberty

Background

Prison units are marked by structural deficiencies, especially in relation to the female gender.

Objectives

To measure the self-perceived impact of oral health on the quality of life of Brazilian women in detention. Methodology. A survey was carried out conducted in the penitentiary at Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais, Brazil) using an instrument with semistructured questions and validated scales, including the Oral Health Impact Profile-14. 99 women were interviewed. The analysis was based on a theoretical model of determination, with hierarchical blocks of variables. Bivariate analysis was done using the Mann–Whitney, test and multivariate analysis was used using linear regression. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results

33% experienced tooth loss after incarceration, (3.70 ± 3.26 lost teeth). 65.6% rated the dental service as fair/poor. The highest prevalence of oral health impact was for the domains of psychological discomfort (50.5%) and physical pain (40.4%). There is a negative impact on psychological discomfort: the number of dental consultations in the past year and self-perceived general health. There is an impact on physical pain: self-declared color and anxiety. Self-perceived general health had an impact on the domains of psychological disability and social disadvantage. Depression had an impact on the total score.

Conclusion

This study revealed a self-perceived impact of oral health on the quality of life of women inmates. We need to ensure high-quality access to dental treatment in prisons.

Prevalence of tooth loss and associated factors in institutionalized adolescents: a cross-sectional study

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of tooth loss and associated factors in institutionalized adolescents. This cross-sectional study included 68 male adolescents incarcerated from Socio-Educational Assistance Center (CASE) aged between 15 and 19 years. Questionnaires were applied individually to assess sociodemographical, economical, medical, behavioral and oral health self-perception variables. All present teeth were evaluated by Decay, Missing, Filling (DMF) Index. The prevalence of tooth loss was analyzed in individuals with ≥1 tooth loss. Associations between tooth loss and exposure variables studied were analyzed by Poisson Regression with robust variance estimation. The prevalence of tooth loss was 47.06%. First molars in the mandible and maxilla and central incisor in the maxilla were the most absent teeth. In the multivariate model, number of decayed teeth, and those that reported daily use of medication were associated with higher tooth loss. Besides, tooth loss was associated with decayed tooth and daily use of medication. Oral health promotion and treatment should be implemented in these institutions to reduce the prevalence of dental loss in these adolescents.

Impact of incarceration on nutritional status and oral health among male inmates of central jail of Jaipur city, India

AIM

Prison is an especially difficult environment for promoting oral health and leads to the exacerbation of unhealthy behaviors. This study set out to assess the impact of incarceration on nutritional status and oral health among the male prison inmates of Central Jail of Jaipur city, Rajasthan, India.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A cross sectional study was conducted among 181 male inmates. Dental caries and periodontal status were assessed by using modified the Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (DMFT) index and Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and Loss of Attachment (LOA) index as per the WHO methodology 1997. Nutritional status was assessed by Body Mass Index (BMI) and weight (kg)/height (m2).

RESULTS

Out of 181 inmates, 141 (77.90%) had normal BMI. The majority (n=128, 70.70%) of inmates were incarcerated for less than 6 years. A significant difference (P<0.05) was found between age and periodontal status. A significant difference was observed (P<0.05) in the CPI score 3 and LOA 0 and 1 score. However, no significant difference (P>0.05) was observed in DMFT and period of incarceration. Age was the significant (P<0.001) risk factor for CPI and LOA.

DISCUSSION

Dental caries and periodontal health deteriorates with age and period of incarceration. Oral hygiene maintenance along with comprehensive oral care can be accomplished by establishing dental care facilities in prisons.

Promoting Inclusion Oral Health: Social Interventions to Reduce Oral Health Inequities

To advance our understanding of inclusion oral health and to address the impact of social exclusion upon oral health, this group of papers sets out to provide an argument for the need for social and community-based interventions, theoretically underpinned by pluralistic definitions of evidence-based practice and the radical discourse of health promotion for those experiencing exclusion. Using the definition and framework of inclusion oral health, these papers illustrate the requirement for mixed-methods research, the incorporation of experts by experience in the research process, and the need for co-design and co-produced interventions. The papers in this Special Issue present various sources of evidence used to transform top-down into bottom-up community-based interventions for people experiencing homelessness, people in custody, and families residing in areas of high social deprivation. The first two papers provide the evidence for extreme oral health in those experiencing exclusion, and the final four papers report on the implementation and evaluation of social or community-based interventions. This collection of research papers will be of interest to all those wishing to reduce health inequities. This will be achieved by focusing on prevention, adopting a common risk factor agenda, and incorporating co-design and co-production elements into interventions, to tackle the oral health inequities felt by those most excluded in our societies.