Accessibility and Barriers to Oral Health Care among Gypsy Tribes in Chennai: A Cross Sectional Study Lalitha N. Divya1,*, Prabu D.2, Rajmohan3, Manipal Sunayana3, Bharathwaj V.V.4 1Postgraduate, Department of Public Health Dentistry 2Professor & Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry 3Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry 4Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry *Corresponding Author: Dr. N. Divya Lalitha, SRM Dental College, Ramapuram, Chennai-600089. Ph no: 8056215655, e-mail: diyan2409@gmail.com
Online published on 23 December, 2019. Abstract Background Narikuravars are nomadic population who do not tend to give importance to their oral health. Many people among them consume alcohol and tobacco products which might deteriorate their oral health. AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the accessibility and barriers to oral health and to evaluate the oral health status of the narikuravar population. Methodology The present cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among gypsy narikuravar population in Chennai. The sample size was 102. A pre-tested questionnaire containing 15 questions was used to collect data from all sample recruited for the study. Data was collected by face to face interview in tamil. Complete oral examination was done and recorded in WHO proforma 2013. Results Totally 68 (66.6%) females and 34 (33.4%) males participated in the study. Majority of them 60 (58.9%) individuals use tobacco products and only 42 (41.1%) do not use it. 72.6% get their dental treatments done in private dental clinics and 21.6% only get their treatments done in government hospitals. 72.5% participants have dental caries which is in majority among other oral diseases. Periodontal problems were present in 35.3% participants. 23.5% had missing teeth. 3.9% had oral lesions. 1.9% of participants only had dental fluorosis and dental erosion. Conclusion The narikuravar community tend to have a negligence towards oral health. Measures to improve their access and limits to their barriers to oral health care must be taken to improve their oral health status. Top Keywords Narikuravar, oral health, barriers, accessibility. Top |