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Improving access to dental care for adults experiencing homelessness who live outside of capital cities
Citation
Goode, J and Hoang, Ha and Crocombe, L, Improving access to dental care for adults experiencing homelessness who live outside of capital cities, Rural Health and Collaborative Research Symposium, 2 July, Launceston, Tasmania (2019) [Conference Extract]
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Official URL: https://www.utas.edu.au/rural-health/news-all/news...
Abstract
Background: In Australia, homeless adults have poor oral health. Annual dental-check-ups lead to improved oral health. The barriers and enablers of dental care that influence dental visiting amongst adults experiencing homelessness in non-capital-city areas of Victoria are not well known.
Aims: To explore the factors influencing access to dental services amongst homeless adults and use the findings to design a program that facilitates access to dental care.
Methods: A focus group method explored barriers and enablers of care as perceived by homelessness-support workers. Findings were categorised using a patient-centred-access to health care framework and used to design a dental program.
Results: Barriers included; the organisation of government-funded dental services, multiple competing needs, the cost of care, the fear of being judged, anxiety and managing appointments. Enablers were; outreach-dental-services, Priority Access Cards (PACs) and co-locating health services. A two-phase dental program was designed that utilised outreach-dental-services, PACs, free oral-hygiene products, drop-in appointments and co-located health services. Outreach-dental-services should be organised in collaboration with homelessness-service providers.
Conclusion: The cost of care and organisation of government-funded dental services were barriers to care. Outreach-dental-services, allowing drop-in visits, PACs, free-care, co-located health services and better advertised dental services would enable access to care.
Item Details
Item Type: | Conference Extract |
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Keywords: | rural, dental care, homeless, Australia |
Research Division: | Biomedical and Clinical Sciences |
Research Group: | Dentistry |
Research Field: | Dentistry not elsewhere classified |
Objective Division: | Health |
Objective Group: | Specific population health (excl. Indigenous health) |
Objective Field: | Rural and remote area health |
UTAS Author: | Goode, J (Dr Jacqueline Goode) |
UTAS Author: | Hoang, Ha (Dr Ha Hoang) |
UTAS Author: | Crocombe, L (Associate Professor Leonard Crocombe) |
ID Code: | 133835 |
Year Published: | 2019 |
Deposited By: | UTAS Centre for Rural Health |
Deposited On: | 2019-07-11 |
Last Modified: | 2019-07-11 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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