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Hidden oral health challenges in students with physical disabilities: Mothers’ narratives
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Sara Seyedi   , Hossein Gholizadeh , Zahra Ghorbani , Sediqe Shafiei , Azim Gholizadeh , Sohrab Khalilian * |
| Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , khaliliansohrab@gmail.com |
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Abstract: (10 Views) |
Background & Aim: Children with physical disabilities, have a higher prevalence of dental caries, greater neglect of oral health, and a higher level of unmet dental care needs compared to their healthy peers. This study was conducted to determine the barriers to oral health and dental care in children with physical disabilities from the perspective of their mothers.
Methods & Material: In this qualitative study, in order to explore the barriers to oral health and dental care, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with some mothers of children with physical disabilities attending special elementary schools in Rasht city, Guilan province selected through purposive sampling. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using the qualitative content analysis approach of «Braun and Clarke».
Results: As a result of the data analysis, the three main themes of “child-related factors, caregiver-related factors, and healthcare system-related factors” and eight sub-themes of “motor limitations, nutritional or drug-related issues affecting oral health, behavioral challenges, sensory and cognitive difficulties, insufficient knowledge of oral hygiene, physical and psychological caregiver burden, financial barriers, and limited access to services” were obtained. Also, the problems were categorized according to the Biopsychosocial model into three domains: biological, psychological, and social factors.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the barriers to maintaining oral hygiene in this group are multidimensional. These results highlight the importance of developing comprehensive, multifaceted interventions and implementing preventive approaches starting from early childhood and the eruption of the first teeth.
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| Keywords: oral health, physical disabilities, special needs, qualitative study |
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Type of Study: original article |
Subject:
Pediatrics
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