Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114465

Alicia Thompson, MSW, Assessment/Epidemiology Center, Spokane Regional Health District, 1101 W. College Avenue, Spokane, WA 99223, 509-324-1670, athompson@spokanecounty.org, Karen Davis, BA, Children and Family Services/Oral Health, Spokane Regional Health District, 1101 W. College Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201, Marilyn Walli, RN, First Steps Program Manager, Spokane Regional Health District, 1101 W. College Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201, and Ida Ovnicek, MPH, Community and Family Services Oral Health Program Manager, Spokane Regional Health District, 1101 W. College Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201.

The March of Dimes Treatment, Education, and Resources for Mothers (TERM) project is an innovative public health intervention for Spokane Regional Health District's (SRHD) First Steps clients. According to data collected in 2003, SRHD's First Steps clients were much more likely to have a pre-term/low-birth weight baby than were other Medicaid births in Spokane County. The documentation for the link between periodontal disease and pre-term birth is continuing to gain validity. A unique opportunity was presented to the Community and Family Services, First Steps and Oral Health Programs, and SRHD's Assessment Epidemiology Center to collaborate with the Eastern Washington School of Dental Hygiene Clinic, two Federally Qualified Health Clinics and with local dentists through funding from the March of Dimes. Measurement tools were developed with feedback from all partners to screen SRHD First Steps clients for periodontal disease, to measure current oral health habits and to measure oral health habits after receiving the intervention. Attendees will learn of first year findings on the effectiveness of this intervention. Findings will include; reported changes in oral health habits, a comparison of birth weights of infants born to intervention mom's with periodontal disease who were treated to those who were screened as likely to have the disease but chose not to receive treatment. Special care was taken to collect data in an ethical manner. The discussion on methodology will include highlights of this process.

Learning Objectives:

• 3. Understand the possible link between periodontal disease, preterm birth and low birth weight.
  7. Describe the process of establishing a community based collaborative effort to get pregnant moms dental care.
  11. Gain the tools to develop a similar project in your community.

Keywords: Prenatal Interventions, Oral Health Needs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation