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- Title
Challenges impeding integration of oral health into primary health care.
- Authors
Ghorbani, Zahra; Pakkhesal, Mina; Arshi, Shahnam; Eghbal, Mohammad J.; Deghatipour, Marzieh; Tennant, Marc; Ardakani, H. Malekafzali
- Abstract
The primary healthcare (PHC) services in the Islamic Republic of Iran have succeeded in addressing high levels of communicable diseases; however, they seem less able to deal with maternal and paediatric oral diseases. The aim of this study was to examine problems in integrating oral health services into PHC. This was a qualitative research study comprising focus group discussions and interviews. Five focus-group discussions were held with midwives, family healthcare practitioners, rural PHC workers, duty-service dentists, and public health dentists. Also, individual interviews were organized with experts of faculty members in related fields, informant managers and policy makers, and in-depth interviews were done with pregnant women in four PHC centres. Audiotapes were transcribed following each session, and then a qualitative thematic analysis was carried out on gathered data. Data analysis resulted in 4 main themes relating to the challenges: environmental, educational, organizational and school-based programme factors. This study provides a clearer understanding of the challenges of integrating oral health services into PHC.
- Subjects
IRAN; DISCUSSION; ENVIRONMENTAL health; EXPERTISE; FOCUS groups; INTERVIEWING; MEDICAL school faculty; MEDICAL personnel; ORAL hygiene; PREGNANT women; PRIMARY health care; QUALITATIVE research; THEMATIC analysis
- Publication
Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 2017, Vol 23, Issue 12, p802
- ISSN
1020-3397
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.26719/2017.23.12.802