The oral health of older people from minority ethnic communities in south east England.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical health status and subjective oral health status of older adults from minority ethnic communities resident in South East England.


METHODS
Cross sectional survey incorporating a clinical examination and a questionnaire assessment of subjective oral health status.


METHODS
Community groups working with individuals from minority ethnic communities.


METHODS
A total of 540 individuals from 7 minority ethnic communities.


METHODS
Clinical assessment of oral health status using BASCD criteria. Assessment of oral symptoms and impact experienced together with satisfaction with oral status, by structured questionnaire.


RESULTS
On all measures of clinical health status the participants were healthier than a comparison group based on data from the Adult Dental Health Survey. The participants expressed high levels of subjective oral symptoms. Levels of satisfaction were lower than those found in the Adult Dental Health Survey. There was evidence of some variation across minority ethnic communities in clinical and subjective oral health status.


CONCLUSIONS
Approximately 20% of the 540 adults from minority ethnic communities resident in the South East of England surveyed were relatively fit orally. They experienced a great many oral symptoms, and in approximately 30% of individuals these were sufficient to interfere with their quality of life.
The research described in this paper was approved by the Ethics committee of King's College London.
Newton
J T
JT
Division of Dental Public Health and Oral Health Services Research, Guy's Hospital, Guy's King's and St. Thomas' Dental Institute, King's College London. david.gibbons@kcl.ac.uk
Gibbons
D E
DE
Gelbier
S
S
D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D044383:Black People; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004245:DMF Index; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000208:ethnology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000208:ethnology*; D009909:Oral Health; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012928:Social Desirability