141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

289236
Rhode Island women's dental care during pregnancy: 2009-2011 pregnancy risk assessment monitoring system (PRAMS)

Monday, November 4, 2013

Junhie Oh, BDS, MPH , Oral Health Program, Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, RI
Laurie Leonard, MS , Oral Health Program, Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, RI
Objective: Document the most current estimates of Rhode Island women who received dental care and oral health education during their pregnancy.

Methods: Using the 2009–2011 Rhode Island Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), this study included 3,828 women (average weighted response rate=69.5%). Women's dental visit during pregnancy was assessed by various sub-groups using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Frequency of discussion on dental care with a health care worker during pregnancy was compared to other prenatal health issues. SAS survey procedures were used to account for the complex survey design.

Results: Overall, approximately half of RI women reported they had a dental visit during their pregnancy (52.4%, 95% CI=50.4%–54.4%). Only 40.1% (CI=37.2%–43.0%) of women who had prenatal care coverage by Medicaid were seen by a dentist during their pregnancy (OR=0.70 adjusted for age, marital status, education, income, residential area, and race/ethnicity). Oral health care was not as frequently discussed (52.4%) as other prenatal health issues such as safe medicine uses (88.8%), breastfeeding (84.7%), HIV testing (79.8%), maternal depression (75.6%), alcohol consumption (71.3%), and smoking (69.4%).

Conclusion: Measures need to be developed to ensure that all women obtain appropriate prenatal care that includes oral health care and education as recommended in Oral Health Care During Pregnancy: National Consensus Statement, which was developed in 2011 with support from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, HRSA, in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Dental Association.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Assess the most current estimates of RI women who received dental care and oral health education during their pregnancy and associated determinants. Discuss PRAMS as a state-level oral health surveillance data source to monitor women’s dental visit and care during pregnancy. Discuss how RI uses PRAMS data to promote a coordinated effort between dental and prenatal professionals for optimal oral health care and education during pregnancy.

Keywords: Oral Health, Prenatal Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an Oral Health Epidemiologist at RI Department of Health and conduct and manage state-wide oral health surveillance.
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.