What should dental services for people with disabilities in Ireland be like? Agreed priorities from a focus group of people with learning disabilities
Abstract
Accessible summary: This study asked a group of people with learning disabilities in Ireland what was important to them about their dental services. The group easily ordered their priorities according to five topics:Access, Cost, Information, Quality of Care and Treatment. The group's discussion revealed a disempowered group who had little control over how they interacted with dental services. We suggest ways to empower people with learning disabilities in their interactions with dental services. Background:In Ireland, people with learning disabilities have poor oral health. This is in part due to inappropriate oral health services. Recognising the value of inclusive approaches to research and healthcare planning, this study sought to include a group of people with learning disabilities in priority setting for oral health services in Ireland. This study discusses the feasibility of the methods used to promote inclusive approaches in oral healthcare planning. Materials and Methods:A single focus group of six participants with communication and cognitive impairments agreed priorities for dental services using evidence‐based research tools across five topics:Access, Cost, Information, Quality of Care and Treatment. Sorting was recorded photographically and discussion was video‐recorded, transcribed and analysed using deductive content analysis. Results:The group ranked priorities within each topic but found it difficult to meaningfully rank between topics. Across topics, issues of control, empowerment and choice were observed. Conclusions:Participants were largely disempowered in their interactions with dental services. The method used in this study to empower potential service users with disabilities was successful and can be used by others who have an interest in inclusive healthcare priority setting.
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Accessible healthcare information is perceived to be a high priority by people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism.
“Accessible healthcare information is perceived to be a high priority by people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism.48–50”
From Barriers and facilitators to primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [50]
Some healthcare information may be incomprehensible and/or difficult to obtain.
“Some healthcare information may be incomprehensible and/or difficult to obtain.25,34,50,51”
From Barriers and facilitators to primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism: an integrative review (2020) · cites this paper as [50]
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- Authors
- Mac Giolla Phadraig, C., Dougall, A., Stapleton, S., McGeown, D., Nunn, J., & Guerin, S.
- Affiliations
- Department of Child and Public Dental Health Trinity College Dublin Dublin Dental University Hospital Lincoln Place Dublin 2 Ireland
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- School of Psychology University College Dublin Stillorgan Road Dublin 4 Ireland
- Venue
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-11-21
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 259-268
- ISSN
- 0261-9997 (ISSN-L)
- 1354-4187
- 1468-3156
- OpenAlex
- W2173931418
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 0.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Dental Health and Care Utilization
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Down syndrome and intellectual disability research
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mental Health and Patient Involvement
- Keywords
- learning disabilities, dental services, oral health, priority setting, inclusive healthcare, patient empowerment, service user involvement, access to dental care, Ireland
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