Dental restorations for dinka and nuer refugees: a confluence of culture and healing.
The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25, and the Self-reporting Questionnaire-24 were used to evaluate distress among 22 Dinka and Nuer refugees to the US before and after complete restoration of four to six lower front teeth that had been extracted during childhood in Sudan. Participants reported significant improvement in levels of distress following full restoration of missing teeth, including symptoms of PTSD. These results illustrate the value of incorporating community perspectives into the selection of health treatment options for newly arriving populations. But they also emphasize the unique situation faced by each refugee population as they embark on a wholly new cultural learning process.
Fox
Steven H
SH
Ross University School of Medicine, 630 U.S. Highway 1, North Brunswick, NJ 08902, USA. sfox@rossmed.edu.dm
Willis
Mary S
MS
D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012945:Social Values / Q000208:ethnology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D013397:Sudan / Q000208:ethnology; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult