title: Progressing toward a more culturally competent approach to dental care for African American elders.
abstract: This study was conducted to understand perceptions that may influence oral self-care behaviors among elderly African American adults living in an urban community. Four focus groups at two senior centers were recruited, involving a total of 25 participants. Content analysis and ethnographic summaries were used to identify themes, common concepts and language. The results indicated that although the participants recognized the advantages of routine brushing, the importance of keeping teeth clean to prevent gum disease was not widely acknowledged. On the basis of these focus groups, the authors suggest that health promotion approaches for adults who are elderly should be linked to the audience's cultural norms and perceptions regarding the benefits of oral hygiene practices.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, 240 South 40th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030 USA. yas@pobox.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slaughter
authors.forename: Virginia J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003469:Culture; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012648:Self Care; D014099:Toothbrushing; D014504:Urban Health