Disabilities’ oral health promotion in communities

Abstract

This descriptive research was aimed to find the concepts and processes of disabilities’ oral health promotion in communities, to answer 5 main topics: the aspiration or concepts for work, the disabilities’ oral health promotion activities, the indicators, the success factors and the suggestions for implementation. The targets were health/dental health personnel, disabilities and their networks, disabled care-takers, volunteers and local organizations. Processes were in-depth interviews, group discussions and study visit in the field, collected data between September 2011 – June 2012 in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Roi Et, Songkhla, Phatthalung and Ratchaburi. 

          Results were the aspiration or concepts for work: doing because of compassion, changed the perspective from handicap/disability persons to challenged persons, holistic approach to improve the quality of life of disabled people, doing with a positive mind, take caring the whole family with mind, doing in team, home visiting as a family visit, the oral health service was right not social welfare, used health promotion approach. The disabilities’ oral health promotion activities were making a new project or add it to the existing, training team, selected project area, joint planning, home visit, oral health examination and recorded, treatment planed and made schedule, oral health education, doing health and oral health history and kept it at disabled home, reflected information to the community, prepared service system, training caregivers and relatives. The indicators were disabilities received oral health care and services and a better quality of life, caregivers/relatives/staff   be happy. Success factors were working with mind, had sufficient knowledge, working in team, start with promotion and prevention, had good referral system, support and follow-up regularly and the participation of all sectors. Suggestions for implementation were did not be a mandatory policy, should be implemented at sub-district level, communicated the project using AIR WAR joint venture with the private sector, had report system, specific budget and compensation, had a course about disabilities in dental student learning process, had appropriate handbook and media.