title: Self-reported oral health of a metropolitan homeless population in Australia: comparisons with population-level data.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is limited information on self-perceived oral health of homeless populations. This study quantified self-reported oral health among a metropolitan homeless adult population and compared against a representative sample of the metropolitan adult population obtained from the National Survey of Adult Oral Health.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 248 homeless participants (age range 17-78 years, 79% male) completed a self-report questionnaire. Data for an age-matched, representative sample of metropolitan-dwelling adults were obtained from Australia's second National Survey of Adult Oral Health. Percentage responses and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, with non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals used to identify statistically significant differences between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Homeless adults reported poorer oral health than their age-matched general population counterparts. Twice as many homeless adults reported visiting a dentist more than a year ago and that their usual reason for dental attendance was for a dental problem. The proportion of homeless adults with a perceived need for fillings or extractions was also twice that of their age-matched general population counterparts. Three times as many homeless adults rated their oral health as 'fair' or 'poor'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significantly greater proportion of homeless adults in an Australian metropolitan location reported poorer oral health compared with the general metropolitan adult population.
authors: Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, The University of Adelaide, South Australia. eleanor.parker@adelaide.edu.au
authors: E J
authors: EJ
authors: Parker
authors: L M
authors: LM
authors: Jamieson
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Steffens
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Cathro
authors: R M
authors: RM
authors: Logan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003817:Dentition; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009909:Oral Health; D011632:Public Assistance; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013021:South Australia; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult