Tynan, Anna

Walker, David

Tucker, Taygan

Fisher, Barry

Fisher, Tarita

2020-04-17

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.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.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.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.

Research Fellow, Research Support Team, Baillie Henderson Hospital, Darling Downs Health, Corner of Torr and Hogg Street, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Anna.Tynan@health.qld.gov.au.

Honorary Research Fellow, The Rural Clinical School, The University of Queensland, West Street, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. Anna.Tynan@health.qld.gov.au.

Honorary Research Fellow. School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.

Dental Therapist, Oral Health Services - Nhulunbuy, Top End Health Services, Northern Territory Government Endeavour Square, Gove Dental Clinic, Endeavour Square, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia.

Indigenous Liaison Officer, Kingaroy Hospital, Darling Downs Health, 166 Youngman Street, Kingaroy, Queensland, Australia.

Health Service Manager, Darling Downs Health, PO Box 361, Murgon, Queensland, Australia.

BMC Public Health . 2020 Apr 17;20(1):514. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-08673-x.

1471-2458

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32303214/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/13548

Australia

Health service utilisation

Indigenous

Oral health

Adolescent

Adult

Australia

Community Health Services

Female

Focus Groups

Health Services Accessibility

Health Services, Indigenous

Humans

Male

Mouth Diseases

Oral Health

Rural Population

Social Support

Tooth Diseases

Young Adult

Factors influencing the perceived importance of oral health within a rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Australia.

Journal Article

Publication