title: The pediatric nurse practitioner's role in reducing oral health disparities in homeless children.
abstract: Dental caries is the most common infectious disease of children. The majority of children in the United States who experience dental decay are from low-income, minority families. Many low- income, minority families are at risk for homelessness and, indeed, mothers with children are the fastest growing homeless group. Once homeless, families end up in shelters. Shelters are a unique source for the provision of health care; however, the provision of dental care to mothers and children in shelters is limited. At a shelter-based clinic, of a total number of children assessed in a 24-month period (n = 264), 22.7% (n = 60) had obvious gross dental cavities. The school-aged children (6-12 years) (n = 41) had the highest prevalence of dental cavities (34%). Consistent with the literature, dental caries was the most prevalent condition of homeless children and the most difficult for which to obtain treatment. Follow-up was difficult because of the transient nature of homeless families.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-3701, USA. dimarco@uakron.edu
authors.forename: Marguerite A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: DiMarco
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huff
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kinion
authors.forename: Mary Agnes
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kendra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009909:Oral Health; D011203:Poverty; D012935:Social Justice