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Oral health problems and support as experienced by people with severe mental illness living in community-based subsidised housing - a qualitative study.

Persson, Karin LU ; Olin, Elisabeth and Östman, Margareta (2010) In Health & Social Care in the Community Jul 1. p.529-536
Abstract
Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore how persons with severe mental illness (SMI) experience oral health problems (especially dry mouth), and weigh the support they received in this regard from professionals and staff at community-based congregate housing through a controlled intervention programme. Oral health problems and dry mouth are found in association with apathy and indifference, cognitive deficits, and long-term medication with psycho-pharmacological drugs. The present study describes the results from one part of a longitudinal intervention programme, which sought effective ways of mitigating dry mouth through increased support with oral health problems. This part consists of 67 informal interviews with ten... (More)
Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore how persons with severe mental illness (SMI) experience oral health problems (especially dry mouth), and weigh the support they received in this regard from professionals and staff at community-based congregate housing through a controlled intervention programme. Oral health problems and dry mouth are found in association with apathy and indifference, cognitive deficits, and long-term medication with psycho-pharmacological drugs. The present study describes the results from one part of a longitudinal intervention programme, which sought effective ways of mitigating dry mouth through increased support with oral health problems. This part consists of 67 informal interviews with ten participants in two community-based urban housing projects between November 2006 and June 2007, with a follow-up session in December 2007. Content analysis of the results yielded five categories: The shame of having poor dental health, history of dental care, experiences of self-care, handling of oral health problems, and experiences of staff support. Poor oral health caused shame and limited participation in social activities. Participants avoided oral health issues by such circumventions as denial of a tooth ache or dental infections, or postponing oral problems with the hope that they would die away. Offers of support were frequently resisted because of unsatisfactory prior encounters with dental professionals and staff. Our findings suggest that self-care needs to be facilitated in an unobtrusive manner with minimal staff involvement, and clients should be referred to dental care providers experienced in treating people with SMI. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Health & Social Care in the Community
volume
Jul 1
pages
529 - 536
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000280635600010
  • pmid:20561079
  • scopus:77955369003
  • pmid:20561079
ISSN
0966-0410
DOI
10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00931.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: The Vårdal Institute (016540000)
id
5f3325be-124c-42b9-836d-187ebf01f289 (old id 1625927)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20561079?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 08:23:41
date last changed
2022-04-23 17:21:48
@article{5f3325be-124c-42b9-836d-187ebf01f289,
  abstract     = {{Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore how persons with severe mental illness (SMI) experience oral health problems (especially dry mouth), and weigh the support they received in this regard from professionals and staff at community-based congregate housing through a controlled intervention programme. Oral health problems and dry mouth are found in association with apathy and indifference, cognitive deficits, and long-term medication with psycho-pharmacological drugs. The present study describes the results from one part of a longitudinal intervention programme, which sought effective ways of mitigating dry mouth through increased support with oral health problems. This part consists of 67 informal interviews with ten participants in two community-based urban housing projects between November 2006 and June 2007, with a follow-up session in December 2007. Content analysis of the results yielded five categories: The shame of having poor dental health, history of dental care, experiences of self-care, handling of oral health problems, and experiences of staff support. Poor oral health caused shame and limited participation in social activities. Participants avoided oral health issues by such circumventions as denial of a tooth ache or dental infections, or postponing oral problems with the hope that they would die away. Offers of support were frequently resisted because of unsatisfactory prior encounters with dental professionals and staff. Our findings suggest that self-care needs to be facilitated in an unobtrusive manner with minimal staff involvement, and clients should be referred to dental care providers experienced in treating people with SMI.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Karin and Olin, Elisabeth and Östman, Margareta}},
  issn         = {{0966-0410}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{529--536}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Health & Social Care in the Community}},
  title        = {{Oral health problems and support as experienced by people with severe mental illness living in community-based subsidised housing - a qualitative study.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00931.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00931.x}},
  volume       = {{Jul 1}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}