Inequalities in access to education and healthcare

Abstract

The burden of disease is borne by those who suffer as patients but also by society at large, including health service providers. That burden is felt most severely in parts of the world where there is no infrastructure, or foreseeable prospects of any, to change the status quo without external support. Poverty, disease and inequality pervade all the activities of daily living in low‐income regions and are inextricably linked. External interventions may not be the most appropriate way to impact on this positively in all circumstances, but targeted programmes to build social capital, within and by countries, are more likely to be sustainable. By these means, basic oral healthcare, underpinned by the primary healthcare approach, can be delivered to more equitably address needs and demands. Education is fundamental to building knowledge‐based economies but is often lacking in such regions even at primary and secondary level. Provision of private education at tertiary level may also introduce its own inequities. Access to distance learning and community‐based practice opens opportunities and is more likely to encourage graduates to work in similar areas. Recruitment of faculty from minority groups provides role models for students from similar backgrounds but all faculty staff must be involved in supporting and mentoring students from marginalized groups to ensure their retention. The developed world has to act responsibly in two crucial areas: first, not to exacerbate the shortage of skilled educators and healthcare workers in emerging economies by recruiting their staff; second, they must offer educational opportunities at an economic rate. Governments need to lead on developing initiatives to attract, support and retain a competent workforce.

Managing health problems in people with intellectual disabilities

“…A small cross sectional study in people with intellectual disability found a high prevalence of dental caries and toothlessness 15 ; Nunn et al found a lack of access to adequate training in the dental needs of groups with disabilities. 16 In a cross sectional study, constipation was significantly correlated with lack of mobility, cerebral palsy, the use of anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, proton pump inhibitors, and refusal to eat. w10 Constipation may remain unreported and undetected for a long time and may cause severe problems such as ileus.…”

Special care dentistry for people with intellectual disability in dental education: an Italian experience

“…Therefore, the question of how well dental schools educate future dentists is still open. Moreover, there is a controversy about which level of educational carrier (pre-, post-doctoral or both) is necessary to prepare dental students in the management of patients with disabilities (9).…”

Shared Ambiguity but Different Experiences and Demands among Dental Students — A Gender Perspective

“…We can conclude that the notion of caring as the hallmark of a stereotyped female dentist appears in our results, and that statistics imply that female dentists may outnumber their male colleagues in the foreseeable future (Nunn et al, 2008). It is quite possible that, for good or bad, women will soon be the dentist norm and their male colleagues will no longer "get away with" for example being authoritarian or leave for the nurse to clean up the workplace.…”

“…Even though statistics are somewhat incomplete, approximately 36 percent of the dentists in these regions were women in the year 2000 (Zillén & Mindak, 2000). The number of female dentists is expected to rise due to a recent, marked, shift in the gender distribution of the dental student population in Western Europe and North America; where the majority of the students now are women (Nunn et al, 2008). After a dip in the 1980-90s characterised by few applicants per place, the dentistry programme is re-establishing its status as one of the most popular higher educational programmes in Sweden, which has led to strict admittance requirements.…”