The NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care North West Coast: Health Inequalities are inviting applications for full-time (3 years) PhD studentships to start in the forthcoming academic year (2015/2016). There are a number of potential projects available, including the following one that may be of interest to list members. (More details can be found here: http://www.clahrc-nwc.nihr.ac.uk/about-us/JobOpportunities.php)
Topic 24.
CLAHRC NWC Theme: Managing Complex Needs
Supervisory Team: Dr Stephen Clayton, Professor Paola Dey, Angela Magee
Institution: University of Central Lancashire
Project Title: Oral health for adults with learning disabilities: Issues of promotion, access and inequality
Project Description:
This project will build on the experience of the team here in the School of Medicine and Dentistry in evaluating the organisation and delivery of health services to address health inequalities and our ongoing work in training health and social care professionals and volunteers.
People with learning difficulties suffer worse health than their non-disabled counterparts, and these differences are, to a large extent, avoidable and thus constitute health inequalities. Research indicates that people with learning difficulties suffer a range of oral health inequalities, such as poorer overall dental hygiene, poorer periodontal health, and a greater degree of unmet oral health needs (BSDOH & FDS 2012, Emerson et al 2011, Anders & Davis 2010). A range of factors have been suggested as being behind these inequalities, including neglect of oral health needs by carers and general health providers, limitations in the education and training of dental health professionals, communication issues for patients, cares and professionals, and physical and financial barriers to accessing oral health care (BSDOH & FDS 2012, Klingberg & Hallberg 2012, Owens et al 2011). On the basis of the evidence, the Department of Health has produced a series of guidelines for improving oral health outcomes for people with learning disabilities that focus on improving oral health care through integrated care pathways (BSDOH & FDS 2012, DoH 2007).
The objectives of this PhD would be to:
- explore the experiences of adults with learning disabilities and their carers to identify barriers and facilitators to accessing oral health care;
- explore the views and experiences of dental health professionals to promoting access to oral health care among adults with learning disabilities and their carers
- explore the knowledge and understanding of other formal caregivers in promoting access to oral health care among adults with learning disabilities and their carers
- develop a theoretical framework for engagement of caregivers and dental professionals in actively promoting access to oral healthcare for adults with learning disabilities and their carers which would inform the development of interventions.
Working with the UCLan service user group, COMENSUS, the PhD student will develop a patient/public engagement strategy to support the work.
References
Anders & Davis 2010 Oral health of patients with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review Special Care in Dentistry, 30(3):110-7.
British Society for Disability and Oral Health & The Royal College of Surgeons of England 2012 Clinical Guidelines and Integrated Care Pathways for the Oral Health Care of People with Learning Disabilities 2001 Reviewed and Updated 2012, Faculty of Dental Surgery, London.
Department of Health, 2007 Valuing People’s Oral Health A good practice guide for improving the oral health of disabled children and adults, DoH, London
Emerson, et al 2011 Health Inequalities & People with Learning Disabilities in the UK: 2011, Learning Disabilities Observatory, London
Klingberg & Hallberg 2012 Oral health – not a priority issue A Grounded Theory analysis of barriers for young patients with disabilities to receive oral health care on the same premise as others, European Journal of Oral Sciences, 120:3, 232-238
Owens et al 2011 Access to dental services for people with learning disabilities: Quality care? Journal of Disability and Oral Health, 12:1 17-27
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