Building Capacity in the Sikh Asian Indian Community to Lead Participatory Oral Health Projects

Abstract

Background Lack of access to oral health care is a significant burden for disadvantaged populations, yet rarely draws the attention of policymakers or community leaders. Objectives To understand how UNITED SIKHS identified oral health care as a priority need through its involvement in community-based participatory research (CBPR) initiatives and local data collection, thereby building its capacity to lead participatory oral health projects. Methods The foundation for the partnership between UNITED SIKHS and the New York University (NYU) Prevention Research Center (PRC) was the joint implementation of a CBPR project to prevent diabetes in the Sikh Asian Indian community. Project partners also included a community coalition composed of religious leaders, health providers, members of the media, and dental students and faculty at the NYU College of Dentistry (NYU Dentistry). A community needs and resources assessment survey was jointly developed and conducted in 2010 to better understand health needs in the Sikh community. Results Fewer than one-half of the Sikh participants (43.0%) reported ever receiving a check-up or screening by a dentist, and of those who did, only one-half (50.0%) reported that it occurred in the past 12 months. Upon clinical assessment, more than one-half of Sikh adults (58.2%) had untreated dental decay. The collection and analysis of local data motivated UNITED SIKHS to develop new priorities based upon the findings. Conclusions UNITED SIKHS applied for and received external funding to lead a CBPR project that developed, implemented, evaluated, and disseminated a culturally tailored oral health and healthy living curriculum for the Sikh Asian Indian community.

Oral Health Beliefs, Attitudes, and Practices of South Asian Migrants: A Systematic Review

“…All of the 12 quantitative studies scored highly except for one study [20], which was due to lack of rigor, inappropriate statistical analysis, and lack of control for potential bias. In three studies [8,16,21] the strata analysis by Bangladeshi [8], Pakistani [16], and Bhutanese [21] was undertaken; however, the sample size was inadequate which limited our comparative understanding of these groups. In addition, a study [9] employed a predictor model for analysis however, the sample size was small which limited the inference concluded from the study.…”

“…Of 12 quantitative studies (Table 3), six were conducted in the UK [8,10,13,20,22,27], three in the USA [16,28,29], one in Canada [21], one in Norway [9], and one in Singapore [30]. In nearly all of the studies from the UK, ‘Indian’ ethnicity was the majority study population group representing South Asians with the exception of one study that included only ‘Bangladeshi’ migrants [10].…”

“…Numerous studies [14,15,16] have focused on oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices of South Asian migrants in high-income countries, yet no systematic review has been done to synthesize these findings which can be used to better inform health interventions by targeting specific aspects of the heterogenous South Asian community. Therefore, in this review we sought to systematically synthesize the evidence on oral health understandings, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, practices, and behaviors of South Asian migrants residing in high-income countries.…”

“Seniors only want respect”: designing an oral health program for older adults

“…We are currently funded on a feasibility and acceptability study using a community health worker model to improve access to oral health care for Chinese‐American adults. This study will leverage earlier research with the Sikh‐American community using a participatory model that successfully enrolled participants in dental coverage programs and located local dentists who accepted their insurance . Such models will provide guidance on improving access to care to for racial/ethnic minorities and underserved communities, including older adults, that may be adapted for diverse settings.…”

Knowledge and behaviours related to oral health among underserved older adults

“…Health promotion offers a mechanism by which older adults may be encouraged to be proactive rather than responsive with regard to their health . In the end, efforts to integrate oral health into general health via the common risk factor approach and renewed emphasis on oral health promotion and disease prevention through interdisciplinary interventions may assist in achieving oral health equity for racial/ethnic minority older adults …”