Integrating oral and general health screening at senior centers for minority elders

Am J Public Health. 2013 Jun;103(6):1022-5. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301259. Epub 2013 Apr 18.

Abstract

Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities regarding untreated oral disease exist for older adults, and poor oral health diminishes quality of life. The ElderSmile program integrated screening for diabetes and hypertension into its community-based oral health activities at senior centers in northern Manhattan. The program found a willingness among minority seniors (aged ≥ 50 years) to be screened for primary care sensitive conditions by dental professionals and a high level of unrecognized disease (7.8% and 24.6% of ElderSmile participants had positive screening results for previously undiagnosed diabetes and hypertension, respectively). Dental professionals may screen for primary care-sensitive conditions and refer patients to health care providers for definitive diagnosis and treatment. The ElderSmile program is a replicable model for community-based oral and general health screening.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Black People
  • Black or African American
  • Community Health Services
  • Dental Health Services
  • Diabetes Mellitus / diagnosis*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / epidemiology
  • Diabetes Mellitus / ethnology
  • Female
  • Health Education
  • Health Promotion / methods*
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / diagnosis*
  • Hypertension / epidemiology
  • Hypertension / ethnology
  • Male
  • Mass Screening*
  • Middle Aged
  • Minority Groups*
  • Mouth Diseases / diagnosis
  • Mouth Diseases / ethnology
  • Mouth Diseases / prevention & control*
  • New York City / epidemiology
  • Oral Health
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • White People