Perceived barriers to oral health care among the homebound.
Questionnaires and oral examinations were completed on 50 clients of a social service agency which provides home-based services to functionally dependent elderly. Nearly 61% of all respondents classified their oral health as frail/poor, and 82% reported a perceived need for some oral health care. When asked if they considered themselves homebound, 60% reported being homebound from 1-10 years (mean = 4.7 years). Two or more home services were received by 80% of the homebound group compared with just 45% of the not-homebound group. Paying for dental care, transportation difficulties, and poor health were the most frequently identified barriers that limited access to oral health care.
Strayer
M S
MS
College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA.
D000368:Aged; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018577:Homebound Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires