BackgroundDespite a body of evidence on racial/ethnic minority enrollment and retention in research, literature specifically focused on recruiting racially/ethnically diverse older adults for social science studies is limited. There is a need for more rigorous research on methodological issues and the efficacy of recruitment methods. Cultural obstacles to recruitment of racial/ethnic minority older adults include language barriers, lack of cultural sensitivity of target communities on the part of researchers, and culturally inappropriate assessment tools.MethodsGuided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), this study critically appraised the recruitment of racial/ethnic minority older adults for focus groups. The initial approach involved using the physical and social infrastructure of the ElderSmile network, a community-based initiative to promote oral and general health and conduct health screenings in places where older adults gather, to recruit racial/ethnic minority adults for a social science component of an interdisciplinary initiative. The process involved planning a recruitment strategy, engaging the individuals involved in its implementation (opinion leaders in senior centers, program staff as implementation leaders, senior community-based colleagues as champions, and motivated center directors as change agents), executing the recruitment plan, and reflecting on the process of implementation.ResultsWhile the recruitment phase of the study was delayed by 6 months to allow for ongoing recruitment and filling of focus group slots, the flexibility of the recruitment plan, the expertise of the research team members, the perseverance of the recruitment staff, and the cultivation of change agents ultimately resulted in meeting the study targets for enrollment in terms of both numbers of focus group discussions (n = 24) and numbers of participants (n = 194).ConclusionsThis study adds to the literature in two important ways. First, we leveraged the social and physical infrastructure of an existing program to recruit participants through community sites where older adults gather. Second, we used the CFIR to guide the appraisal of the recruitment process, which underscored important considerations for both reaching and engaging this underserved population. This was especially true in terms of understanding the disparate roles of the individuals involved in implementing and facilitating the recruitment plan.
To help eliminate reported racial/ethnic and socioeconomic inequities in oral health care, listening to the perspectives of racial/ethnic minority older adults on their experiences with dental school clinics is needed. The aim of this study was to examine the experiences of African American, Puerto Rican, and Dominican older adults who attend senior centers in upper Manhattan, New York City, regarding the care received at dental school clinics. Focus groups were conducted from 2013 to 2015 with 194 racial/ethnic minority men and women aged 50 years and older living in upper Manhattan. All of the 24 focus group sessions were digitally audiorecorded and transcribed for analysis. Groups conducted in Spanish were transcribed first in Spanish and then translated into English. Analysis of the transcripts was conducted using thematic content analysis. Seven subthemes were manifest in the data related to these adults’ positive experiences with dental school clinics: excellent outcomes and dentists, painless and safe treatment, affordable care, honest and reputable, benefits of student training, accepting and helpful, and recommended by family and friends. Negative experiences centered around four subthemes: multiple visits required for treatment, loss of interpersonal communication due to use of technology, inconvenient location, and perceived stigma with Medicaid. This study provided novel evidence of the largely positive experiences with dental schools of racial/ethnic minority senior center attendees. Interventions targeted at the organization and provider level, including organizational motivation, resources, staff attributes, climate, and teamwork plus payment programs and services, insurance and affordability, and provider- and system-level supports, may improve health care processes and patient experiences of care.
An aging and more racially and ethnically diverse population, coupled with changes in the health care policy environment, is demanding that the dental profession both redirect and expand its focus. Challenges include providing comprehensive care for patients with complicated medical needs while improving access to care for underserved groups. The purpose of this study is to examine the acceptability of screening for hypertension and diabetes in the dental setting for African American, Puerto Rican, and Dominican older adults who attend senior centers in northern Manhattan, New York City. Focus groups were conducted with 194 racial/ethnic minority men and women aged 50 y and older living in northern Manhattan who participated in 1 of 24 focus group sessions about improving oral health for older adults. All groups were digitally audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis. Groups that were conducted in Spanish were transcribed first in Spanish and then translated into English. Analysis of the transcripts was conducted using thematic content analysis. Five themes were manifest in the data regarding the willingness of racial/ethnic minority older adults to receive hypertension and diabetes screening as part of routine dental visits: 1) chairside screening is acceptable, 2) screening is routine for older adults, 3) the interrelationship between oral and general health is appreciated, 4) chairside screening has perceived benefits, and 5) chairside screening may reduce dental anxiety. Reservations centered on 4 major themes: 1) dental fear may limit the acceptability of chairside screening, 2) there is a perceived lack of need for dental care and chairside screening, 3) screening is available elsewhere, and 4) mistrust of dental providers as primary care providers. This study provides novel evidence of the acceptability of screening for hypertension and diabetes in the dental setting among urban racial/ethnic minority senior center attendees. The results of this study may be used by oral health providers when deciding whether to conduct chairside screening for medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes that could affect, or be affected by, the oral health of their patients. Patient experiences of care-along with clinical outcomes, avoidable hospital admissions, equity of services, and costs-are important outcomes to consider in meeting the needs of an aging and racially and ethnically diverse US population.
To examine how proposed Medicaid reform plans are experienced by racial/ethnic minority older adults and what the implications are for their ability to access dental care through Medicaid, from 2013 to 2015 we conducted focus groups in northern Manhattan, New York, New York, among African American, Dominican, and Puerto Rican adults aged 50 years and older. Participants reported problems with affording copayments for care, complicated health and social issues, the need for vision and dental care close to home, and confusion about and stigmatization with Medicaid coverage. Federal, state, and local public health agencies can help by clarifying and simplifying Medicaid plans and sustaining benefits that older adults need to live healthy and dignified lives.
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