Self-reported oral health and use of dental services among asylum seekers and immigrants in Finland—a pilot study

Mattila, A.; Ghaderi, Peyvand; Tervonen, Laura; Niskanen, Leena; Pesonen, Paula; Anttonen, Vuokko; Laitala, Marja‐Liisa

doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckw116

Cited by 19 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…This may be associated with level of education because more participants with education at university level reported torture experiences. Other studies suggest that immigrants and asylum seekers with an academic degree more often report the need for dental treatment . The overall need for oral treatment in the current refugee population was high, with visible carious lesions in 89% .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…Thus, it is reasonable to assume that a torture survivor with PTSD symptoms will be more susceptible to triggers during a dental treatment situation and be more prone to develop dental anxiety. In a Finnish pilot study , 56% of asylum seekers claimed to be afraid of visiting a dentist and 44% reported terrifying experiences at dental offices in Finland. Both dental fear and mental stress were more common among asylum seekers than among immigrants in the study group .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a Finnish pilot study , 56% of asylum seekers claimed to be afraid of visiting a dentist and 44% reported terrifying experiences at dental offices in Finland. Both dental fear and mental stress were more common among asylum seekers than among immigrants in the study group . Singh et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dental anxiety in relation to torture experiences and symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder

Høyvik

Lie

Willumsen

2018

European J Oral Sciences

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Torture victims often show symptoms of dental anxiety when receiving dental care, but little systematic research is available. The purpose of this study was to explore torture experiences, symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and dental anxiety in refugees in Norway and to test the hypothesis that refugees with torture experiences are more prone to dental anxiety than refugees with no such experiences. A total of 173 refugees were interviewed shortly after an oral examination. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire‐PTSS16 were administered verbally through attending interpreters. Among torture victims (47%, n = 81), the prevalence of torture experiences involving mouth or teeth was 35% and 23%, respectively. Harvard Trauma Questionnaire mean sum scores were statistically significantly higher in torture victims (34.3 vs. 24.8). Torture survivors report a larger number of symptoms of PTSD, and dental anxiety shows a higher prevalence in refugees reporting PTSD symptoms than in refugees who do not report such symptoms. When analysed using logistic regression models, the data showed the odds of high levels of dental anxiety being 6.1 times higher in refugees with torture experiences compared with other refugees and 9.3 times higher in torture victims with PTSD symptoms. Oral health professionals should be aware of these associations when providing dental care to refugees. The hypothesis that tortured refugees are more prone to dental anxiety is supported.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dental anxiety in relation to torture experiences and symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder

Høyvik

Lie

Willumsen

2018

European J Oral Sciences

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“…Dental care and treatment are also of concern in these children. 90 Pregnant women are prone to malnutrition, have limited access to antenatal care, and may suffer significant hazards during child birth under poor hygienic conditions with no adequate medical surveillance or treatment. 91 Women are also more susceptible to sexual and genderbased violence (SGBV), especially during forced migration and arrival in refugee camps-both in neighboring and European host countries.…”

Section: Poliomyelitis 120mentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Refugees' Health

Mûller

Khamis²,

Srivastava

et al. 2018

Semin Neurol

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According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 65.6 million people have been forcibly displaced worldwide. Several factors have a major influence on asylum seekers' health; so, their health profile is markedly different from that of the population in the country of asylum. The aim of this study is to review the major issues physicians need to be aware of when treating asylum seekers, with a special focus on the neurological problems of asylum seekers and refugees. The major impact factors on refugees' health are linked to experiences and exposure (1) in the country of origin, (2) in refugee camps and en route to Europe, and (3) in the process of immigration into the host country and living in European asylum centers. Refugees' health is also affected by psychological problems and by infectious diseases. Additionally, chronic diseases resulting in polymorbidity, cancer, and neurological diseases are easy to overlook and demand special attention. Neurological injuries/diseases may be traumatic (e.g., spinal cord injuries), posttraumatic (e.g., chronic pain syndromes), the result of cerebral infections, or the consequences of starvation (e.g., epilepsy, ataxia, and paraesthesia). The main challenges for physicians are lack of awareness of the asylum seekers' specific health care problems, language and intercultural communication problems, as well as access and integration of asylum seekers into the health care system. The health issues of asylum seekers are manifold and challenging to physicians. Awareness of these conditions is mandatory to ensure good clinical practice for this patient population, which has a huge burden in chronic, infectious, mental, and neurological diseases.

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“…A recent pilot study from Finland demonstrated dental treatment need in most asylum seekers and two-thirds of other immigrants. Access to dental services was considered a major challenge [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oral Health Challenges in Refugees from the Middle East and Africa: A Comparative Study

Høyvik

Lie

Grjibovski

et al. 2018

J Immigrant Minority Health

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The aim was to explore and compare oral health and need for dental treatment in newly arrived refugees from the Middle East and Africa to Norway. Oral examination and structured interviews were performed with attending interpreters. Associations between origin and measures for oral health were studied with multiple linear regression. Half of the refugees (n = 132) reported oral impacts on daily performances (OIDP) and mean number of decayed teeth (DT) was 4.3 (SD 3.5). Refugees from the Middle East had more DT (1.38, p = 0.044), higher sum of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) (3.93, p = 0.001) and lower OIDP-score (- 3.72, p = 0.026) than refugees from Africa. Refugee oral health is generally poor, with more extensive challenges in refugees from the Middle East. However, few missing teeth, and manageable caries-gradient at the time of registration indicate that most refugees have the prerequisites for a good dentition, provided they get the necessary treatment.

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Self-reported oral health and use of dental services among asylum seekers and immigrants in Finland—a pilot study

Abstract: Despite the small number of participants, our interview-based study indicates that asylum seekers and immigrants have need for acute and basic dental treatment and health education.

Cited by 19 publications

References 13 publications

Dental anxiety in relation to torture experiences and symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder

Dental anxiety in relation to torture experiences and symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder

Understanding Refugees' Health

Oral Health Challenges in Refugees from the Middle East and Africa: A Comparative Study

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