Issues of oral health literacy: Assessing patient understanding of oral health and diabetes

Adult patients seeking dental care have been found to have low oral health literacy which may impact their ability to process and understand oral health information (Jones, 2007). The management of diabetes requires additional processing and understanding by patients. It is estimated that approximately 20 million Americans suffer from diabetes (Ritter, 2006; CDC, 2005). Well known complications of diabetes include: heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, and blindness; less commonly known is the high risk of oral disease. Patients with poorly controlled diabetes are at higher risk for dry mouth, dental caries, and fungal oral infections (Ritter, 2006). Two-thirds of people with diabetes have severe periodontal disease which in turn has a strong negative effect on their diabetes. Many patients remain unaware of this two-way link between oral health and diabetes. This study was conducted to assess the oral health literacy of diabetic patients.

Qualitative findings from three focus groups conducted with patients with type 2 diabetes about oral health will be presented. Participants include African American (n=10), Latinos (n=10), and Caucasians (n=10) with type 2 diabetes. Group discussion topics included: diabetes and oral health knowledge and understanding (literacy), self-management, and provider-patient communication. Data was transcribed and a line by line analysis of the raw data was completed. Themes and domains were identified and categorized. The presentation will describe key factors affecting oral health literacy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Recommendations and strategies for assisting patients in better understanding oral health and diabetes will be presented.