An oral health survey of the Lumbee tribe in southeastern North Carolina.
OBJECTIVE
The Lumbee tribe, North Carolina's largest American Indian tribe, is located in Robeson County, where there is an access to dental care crisis. There is a high incidence of systemic diseases, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes. The tribe also has a higher rate of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to Caucasian populations. There is little information available regarding the oral health of this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate access to dental care issues, oral health knowledge and oral health-related quality of life of the Lumbee tribe.


METHODS
A self-administered survey was developed to assess factors influencing access to dental care, oral health knowledge and oral health-related quality of life. The survey was administered to a convenience sample of 118 Lumbee Indians at the Lumbee Homecoming Festival in Pembroke, NC.


RESULTS
Barriers to accessing dental care included being unable to leave work to find a dentist and cost of dental services. Many believed that it is natural to lose teeth as one ages. There was low oral health knowledge regarding oral and systemic health. Oral Health-related quality of life was affected. There was an association between poor access to dental care and poor oral health-related quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Lumbee Indians reported barriers to accessing dental care. There was a significant relationship between difficulty accessing dental care and poor oral health-related quality of life.
Wells
Pamela L
PL
Department of Preventive & Community Dentistry, University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
Caplan
Daniel J
DJ
Strauss
Ronald P
RP
Bell
Danny
D
George
Mary
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009657:North Carolina; D009909:Oral Health; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult