Protected Characteristics Flashcards
What is the equality act 2010?
- ‘Protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society’
There are 9 protected characteristics
- Unlawful to discriminate on the bias of these
- Must not give someone a service of worse quality or in a worse way than you would normally provide the service
What are the 9 protected characteristics?
- Age
- Disability
- Gender
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage/civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race and ethnicity
- Religion and belief
- Sexual orientation
How does the characteristic ‘age’ affect your oral health? (3 points)
- Oral health is important at all ages
- Effects of poor oral health are cumulative over time
- Risk of oral health conditions change with age
What is the most common reason for children to have GA?
- Dental extractions
Younger children are dependent on parents/caregivers. What are they not in control of? (3 points)
- Diet
- Oral hygiene
- Dental attendance
Older children are more independent. What 2 things do they have more control of compared to when they were younger?
- Food choices
- Oral hygiene
Do most young adults have a good overall oral health?
- Yes
- Although those with tooth decay are more likely to have multiple teeth affected
IS the overall periodontal health of young adults good?
- Yes
What percentage of 25-34 year olds have coronal caries?
- 36%
What percentage of 65-74 year olds have coronal caries?
22%
What percentage of 45-54yr olds have had a filled tooth and what is the average number of filled teeth they have had?
- 97%
- Average of 9.1 filled teeth
What are the levels of periodontal disease in adults ages 45+?
- Increased levels of periodontal disease
What are the present edentulous rates of older people?
- Falling rates
- 64% aged 75+ have some natural teeth
What percentage of 16-24yr olds have root caries?
1%
What percentage of 55-64yr olds have root caries?
11%
What percentage of 75-84yr olds have root caries?
20%
Does the risk of oral cancer increase with age?
- Yes
Why does treatment become more complex with older people? (5 points)
- Previous restorative work - advanced restorations
- Medical conditions - co-morbidities, polypharmacy
- Frailty - access issues
- Cognitive decline - memory, comprehension
- Dependence - daily oral care
Can a dentist refuse to treat a particular age group?
- If you can justify why you are doing this then possibly yes
You CAN target investigations for people with a protected characteristic IF…? (4 points)
- They are currently missing out on services
- Can show they have a different level of need
- There is a track record of disadvantage
- Low participation of this group
What reasons allow us to target certain treatment towards children? (5 points)
- High caries rates
- High dental GA rates
- Early years = political priority
- Good oral health is part of overall child wellbeing
- Establishing good oral health early on will influence later life
What reasons allow us to target certain treatments towards older adults? (5 points)
- Dental attendance declines with age
- Older people are less likely to have good oral health
- Need for help with oral hygiene
- Medical consequences of poor oral health
- Oral health consequences for general health
Disability is not a single group. What are the variations? (5 points)
- Physical/cognitive/sensory/combination
- Hidden disabilities
- Varying severities
Why may access to care be difficult for people with a disability? (3 points)
- Physical factors
- Cooperation
- Understanding
Can people with learning disabilities have dental anxiety?
- Yes
Why may treatment/management of people with a disability be difficult? (4 points)
- Involuntary movements
- Positioning
- Tolerating treatment
- Concentration span
Why may consent be difficult to obtain from people with a disability?
- They may not have the capacity to consent
What does equity mean?
- Same RIGHTS to oral health but not necessarily the SAME services
What is the requirement to make ‘REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS’ in the disability and the equality act?
- Disabled people should be able to use services as far as is reasonable to the same standard as non-disabled people
What is meant by requirements being ‘ANTICIPATORY’ in the disability and the equality act? (3 points)
- Plan in advance
- Think about different types of disability and possible difficulties
- Think about everything needed
What are the reasonable adjustments that should be made for physical access for disabled people? (5 points)
- Ground floor
- Ramp
- Hoist
- Dom visit
- Referral
What are the reasonable adjustments that should be made for communication with disabled people? (3 points)
- Written info (large print/images)
- Hearing loop
- BSL
What are the reasonable adjustments that should be made for enabling treatment for disabled people? (4 points)
- Time
- Explanation
- Appointment time
- Treatment plan
What does the meaning of ‘reasonable’ depend on? (4 points)
- Size and nature of business
- Physical features of premises
- Cost of making adjustments
- Barriers which SHOULD have been identified and reasonable adjustments COULD have been made => required to pay compensation + make adjustments if challenged
How many yearly practice inspections are there in Scotland?
3
The yearly practice inspections in Scotla nd record whether you can get access without stairs. What 3 things are essential to have?
- Details of disabled access/ facilities in practice information leaflet
- Practice information leaflet available in lagre print
- Disability policy (ideally based on results if an access survey)
What do access surveys do?
- Look at features that make the practice accessible and what can be improved
- Access panels (local group of disabled people) can provide advice/info/visit practice
- Can also consult with disabled patients
What gender is more likely to be regular attenders at the dentist?
Females
What gender is more likely to have ‘excellent oral health’ ?
- Females
Which gender is more likely to report dental pain?
females
What gender is more likely to have pulpally involved lesions?
- Males
What gender is more likely to have some natural teeth?
males
What percentage of all pregnant women have gingivitis?
- 60-70%
- Tend to receive less dental treatment at this time
- They get free dental treatment
What 4 things does ‘race’ include?
- Ethnicity
- Nationality
- Colour
- National origins
Contrary to most inequalities, oral health is better among non-whites, despite lower use of the dental health service. They are less likely to have fillings, extractions or fever than 20 teeth. What is this likely due to?
- Likely due to dietary sugar
What are examples of cultural practices that increase the risk of oral cancer? (3 points)
- Chewing tobacco/Paan or Betel
What can the increased risk of diabetes among afro- carribeans have an influence over?
- Oral health
What medical conditions can cause an increased risk if GA is involved? (2 points)
- Thalassaemia
- Sickle cell disease
Do attitudes/opinions relating to dental care differ between races?
- Yes
How can the language barrier be overcome in the dental practice? (2 points)
- Translation services (professional/family member?)
- Written information available in other languages
What is intersectionality?
- The interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage
Do socio-economic factors have strong links with dental health?
- Yes
- Deprivation = more caries, more likely to be edentulous, higher oral cancer rates
What other protected characteristics are associated with socio-economic factors? (2 points)
- Disability
- Race (immigration)
- Interactions between protected characteristic and socio-economic status may amplify disadvantage
What are examples of specific groups included under protected characteristics? (7 points)
- Homeless
- Prisoners
- Gypsy travellers
- Addictions
- Immigrants
- Asylum seekers
- Mental health
What are examples of dental priority groups? (3 points)
- Frail older people
- People with special care needs
- Those who are homeless
