Access to dental services for people using a wheelchair

F. Rashid-Kandvani, B. Nicolau and C. Bedos

American Journal of Public Health, 2015, vol. 105, issue 11, 2312-2317

Abstract: Objectives. We investigated the perspectives of people using a wheelchair and their difficulties in accessing dental services. Methods. Our participatory research was on the basis of a partnership between people using a wheelchair, dental professionals, and academic researchers. Partners were involved in a committee that provided advice at all stages of the project. Our team adopted a qualitative descriptive design. Between October 2011 and October 2012 we conducted semistructured individual interviews with 13 adults who lived in Montreal, Québec, Canada, and used a wheelchair full time. We audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim interviews, and we interpreted data using an inductive thematic analysis. Results. Oral health is of heightened importance to this group of people, who tend to use their mouth as a "third hand." We identified successive challenges in accessing dental services: finding a dentist and being accepted, organizing transportation, entering the building and circulating inside, interacting with the dental staff, transferring and overcoming discomfort on the dental chair, and paying for the treatments. Conclusions. Governments, dental professional bodies, dental schools, and researchers should work with groups representing wheelchair users to improve access to dental services.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; aged; Canada; construction work and architectural phenomena; dental procedure; female; health; health care delivery; human; male; middle aged; organization and management; procedures; qualitative research; traffic and transport; wheelchair; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Architectural Accessibility; Dental Care; Female; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oral Health; Qualitative Research; Quebec; Transportation; Wheelchairs; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2015.302686_3

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302686

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