Facilitating access to dental care for disadvantaged adults
Collaborators
- Nicole Stormon
- Professor Pauline Ford
- Jan Anderson (Metro North Oral Health Services)
- Brisbane community organisations
Overview
Homelessness is a complex social disadvantage that is the result of many factors including a shortage of affordable housing, unemployment, drug and alcohol use, and mental illness.1 The relationship between homelessness and ill health is complex and many risk factors for homelessness such as unemployment, low income and substance abuse are also risk factors for poor health.2 Higher prevalence of mental illness, tuberculosis, alcoholism, poor nutrition and blood-borne diseases have been documented in this population.3 In addition to poorer general health, oral health has also been reported as poorer with higher decayed, missing, filled teeth (DMFT) scores and poorer oral health related quality of life.
This project through collaboration with oral health services, aims to evaluate models of care providing disadvantaged people of Brisbane facilitated pathways to access public dental services, through outreach, education and streamlined appointment management.
References
1. Shelton KH, Taylor PJ, Bonner A, van den Bree M. Risk factors for homelessness: evidence from a population-based study. Psychiatric Services. 2009;60(4):465-472.
2. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Social Determinants of Oral Health In: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, ed. AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit Research Report No. 9: AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit; 2009.
3. Frankish CJ, Hwang SW, Quantz D. Homelessness and health in Canada: research lessons and priorities. Canadian Journal of Public Health/Revue Canadienne de Sante'e Publique. 2005:S23-S29.
4. Ford PJ, Cramb S, Farah CS. Oral health impacts and quality of life in an urban homeless population. Australian Dental Journal. 2014;59(2):234-239.
Publications
Stormon, N., Pradhan, A., McAuliffe, A. and Ford, P.J. (2018)Does a facilitated pathway improve access to dental services for homeless and disadvantaged adults?. Evaluation and Program Planning, 71 46-50. doi:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2018.08.002
Stormon, Nicole, Pateman, Kelsey, Smith, Phil, Callander, Annemaree and Ford, Pauline J. (2018)Evaluation of a community based dental clinic for youth experiencing homelessness in Brisbane. Health & Social Care in the Community, 1-8. doi:10.1111/hsc.12644