Online Program

282340
Unmet oral health and smoking cessation needs among persons in home care living with HIV/AIDS


Wednesday, November 6, 2013 : 11:10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Nancy VanDevanter, DrPH, RN, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University College of Nursing, New York, NY
Peter Messeri, PhD, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY
Donna Shelley, MD, MPH, Department of Population Health, NYU Medical Center, New York, NY
Caroline Dorsen, PhD FNP-BC, College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY
Joan Combellick, CNM, MPH, MS, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY
The oral health care needs among people living with HIV/AIDS are higher than the general population, yet roughly two thirds (58-64%) do not receive routine oral health care. Home-bound individuals receiving HIV home care services may demonstrate greater need for oral health care due to their typically more advanced stage of disease, and barriers to access. Additionally, smoking prevalence among people living with HIV/AIDS is two to three times higher than the general population and may lead to greater oral health disease. This study explores the need for oral health and smoking cessation services in a random sample of 70 HIV/AIDS patients receiving home care services in four boroughs of New York City. A telephone survey was conducted to assess their oral health symptoms, access to care, and smoking status (response rate 71%). Around 50% of the participants reported experiencing some, occasional, or frequent pain or discomfort related to their teeth, dentures or mouth. Around a third reported difficultly eating or changing their diet because of these problems. However, 46% had not seen a dental care provider in the last 6 months, 43% were current smokers and, although 82% reported trying to quit smoking, only 27% had joined a smoking cessation program. The home health care setting offers an important opportunity for oral health and smoking cessation assessment and intervention in this high-risk population. Innovative inter-professional models of home health care with nurses and dental providers could address this unmet need.

Learning Areas:

Other professions or practice related to public health
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related nursing
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify the extent of unmet oral health care need among a random sample of HIV-positive home care patients. Demonstrate awareness of heightened risk of poor oral health among HIV-positive home care patients who smoke. Identify the need for smoking cessation services in a random sample of HIV-positive home care patients. Identify potential for inter-professional collaboration between nursing and dentistry to address the unmet oral health care needs of HIV-positive home care patients.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Oral Health Needs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal investigator of federally funded research integrating a community based participatory research approach into the development and testing of theory-driven interventions to promote health and reduce disease in populations with significant health disparities in HIV and tobacco-related disease. I have worked in collaboration with state and local health departments to develop programs to improve community level health and public health practice. I have worked collaboratively with dental researchers/providers.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.