Oral health status and related behaviours of U.S. nursing home residents, 1995.
METHODS
The 1995 U.S. National Nursing Home Survey.


OBJECTIVE
A descriptive overview of reported oral health status and related behaviours for residents.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
8,056 residents.


METHODS
Interviews by knowledgeable staff, examination of charts and/or personal knowledge.


METHODS
Information on the overall condition of oral health, edentulous status, presence/absence of dentures, difficulty chewing or biting, dental care received in past month, and method of payment for dental services in addition to personal characteristics and medical information.


RESULTS
Fifteen percent of the residents were described as having excellent or very good oral health. Forty-one percent of the residents had difficulty chewing and biting. Almost one half of nursing home residents (47%) were totally edentulous. Twenty-six percent of residents had dental services paid for during the past month. Nursing home residents have multiple known barriers to oral health: ability to pay, extended periods of time without direct access to the dental care delivery system, and serious chronic medical conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
There are serious deficiencies in achieving one of the US national health objectives: ensuring adequate oral health care for institutionalized individuals.
Gift
H C
HC
Brevard College, NC 28712, USA. hgift@brevard.edu
Cherry-Peppers
G
G
Oldakowski
R J
RJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D003778:Dentures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009909:Oral Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology