MS2 - Prevalence of Oral Conditions in Rural and Remote Communities

Question 1

Learning Outcomes:

Answer 1

• compare the health status of those living in rural and remote areas compared to major cities
• Compare the oral health status of those living in rural and remote areas compared to major cities. Discuss potential factors contributing to poor oral health in these communities
• discuss the key strategies for improving oral health outcomes and reducing the impact of poor oral health for people living in regional and remote areas, as outlined in Australia’s National Oral Health Plan 2015-2024
• Discuss the factors which influence rural workforce recruitment and retention

Question 2

5 categories of the Australian Standard Geographic Classification and how is the population distributed between these?

Answer 2

1. Major cities
2. Inner regional
3. Outer regional
4. Remote
5. Very remote

Question 3

Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA+) classifications

Answer 3

Question 4

What is the issue with using ARIA+ for health care needs?

Answer 4

Gap in the availability and coverage of health data -→ ppl in areas with comparable ARIA+ scores may be differently disadvantaged

Does not measure socio-economic status

Question 5

what health risk factors have a higher prevalence in populations outside of Major Cities compared to the population in the Major cities?

Answer 5

• smoking
• alcohol
• overweight
• recommended number of fruit intake
• consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks

Question 6

what are some oral health inequalities in regional and remote areas compared to major cities?

Answer 6

• children have more rates of decay
• higher levels of tooth loss, gingivitis and untreated decay
• less utilisation of dental healthcare services
• more potentially preventable hospitalisations due to dental conditions

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Question 7

What are some reasons people in regional and remote areas have poorer dental health?

Answer 7

• fewer dental practitioners per head
• higher costs of providing services in regional and remote areas
• lack of affordable or available transport
• reduced access to water fluoridation
• increased cost of health food choices and OH products
• inadequate clinical infrastructure

Question 8

What are the levels of the amount of dentists in regional/remote areas compared to major cities + compare the amount of dentists in private vs public

Answer 8

• number of dentists per head decreases by level of remoteness
• many more dentists in private in each level of remoteness

Question 9

What are factors influencing rural recruitment and retention of dental workforce

Answer 9

• Business reasons → sustainability of rural practice, employment scarcity, financial incentives
• Clinical Practice → clinical development and procedures, job satisfaction, geographic isolation
• individual factors → family needs, rural background, rural exposure, quality of life
• community factors → social support networks, social isolation, belonging and fitting in

Question 10

what are strategies to improve recruitment/retention based on the ‘rural background effect’

Answer 10

rural background effect → prior exposure and positive experiences in rural areas influenced decisions to work in rural areas

Strategies:

• increasing number of dental students at universities with rural upbringings
• rural placement programs for undergraduates
• locating dental schools in rural areas