In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics established the Oral Health Knowledge Network (OHKN), a network designed to facilitate monthly virtual learning sessions for pediatric clinicians, allowing them to glean knowledge from experts, exchange resources, and build connections within the field.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Integration of Primary Care and Oral Health teamed up to evaluate the OHKN in the year 2021. The program participants' experience was assessed through a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both online surveys and qualitative interviews. Concerning their professional duties, past engagements in medical-dental integration, and opinions about the OHKN learning sessions, they were asked to provide information.
Out of the 72 invited program participants, 41 (57% of the total) completed the survey questionnaire, and 11 participants chose to participate in the qualitative interviews. Analysis of OHKN participation revealed support for the integration of oral health into primary care for both clinical and non-clinical personnel. Among medical professionals, the incorporation of oral health training, as acknowledged by 82% of respondents, demonstrated the greatest clinical impact. Simultaneously, the acquisition of new information, according to 85% of respondents, proved to be the most prominent nonclinical consequence. The interviews, employing a qualitative approach, illuminated both the participants' past commitment to medical-dental integration and their present drivers for working in this field.
The OHKN's influence on pediatric clinicians and nonclinicians was undeniably positive, successfully cultivating a learning collaborative environment to motivate and educate healthcare professionals. Rapid resource sharing and clinical practice adjustments ultimately improved patient access to oral health.
Through rapid resource sharing and alterations in clinical practice, the OHKN positively impacted pediatric clinicians and non-clinicians, successfully serving as a learning collaborative to educate and inspire healthcare professionals to improve patient access to oral health.
The incorporation of behavioral health subjects (anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, eating disorders, opioid use disorder, and intimate partner violence) into postgraduate primary care dental curricula was evaluated in this study.
Our research employed a sequential mixed-methods approach. In order to collect data on the inclusion of behavioral health material in their curricula, a 46-item online questionnaire was distributed to directors of 265 Advanced Education in Graduate Dentistry and General Practice Residency programs. Multivariate logistic regression analysis served to pinpoint elements connected with the inclusion of this content. Thirteen program directors were also interviewed, content analysis was conducted, and themes concerning inclusion were identified.
Of the program directors, 111 individuals successfully completed the survey, indicating a 42% response rate. Recognizing anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, eating disorders, and intimate partner violence was taught in less than 50% of the programs, in contrast to a significantly higher proportion of 86%, which covered identification of opioid use disorder. Afimoxifene manufacturer Interview insights revealed eight core themes affecting behavioral health inclusion in the curriculum: training approaches; motivations behind these approaches; outcomes of the training, specifically how residents' growth was measured; outputs of the program, specifically the metrics used for program success; impediments to integration; suggested solutions for these impediments; and suggestions for strengthening the existing program. Afimoxifene manufacturer Programs with environments showcasing low or no integration were 91% less frequent in including depressive disorder identification in their curriculum (odds ratio = 0.009; 95% confidence interval, 0.002-0.047) compared to programs in environments approaching full integration. The presence of both patient needs and organizational/governmental mandates shaped the inclusion of behavioral health material. Afimoxifene manufacturer The hurdles to incorporating behavioral health training were rooted in the organizational culture and the limited time constraints.
The incorporation of training on behavioral health conditions, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and intimate partner violence, should be a priority for general dentistry and general practice residency programs.
General dentistry and general practice residency programs' educational initiatives should incorporate expanded training on behavioral health concerns, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and intimate partner violence.
Although scientific and intellectual progress has been made, health care disparities and inequities persist across varied demographics. The cultivation and development of the next generation of healthcare professionals, capable of addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and advancing health equity, is an essential strategic priority. In order to accomplish this goal, educational establishments, communities, and educators must endeavor to modify health professions training, ultimately developing transformative educational models that better serve the public health needs of the 21st century.
Communities of practice (CoPs) are comprised of individuals who are fervently interested in a common subject. Their frequent interaction leads to mutual learning and improvement of their abilities. The National Collaborative for Education to Address Social Determinants of Health, or NCEAS CoP, prioritizes the incorporation of SDOH into the formal training of healthcare professionals. To replicate a model for health professions educators' collaboration in transformative health workforce education and development, the NCEAS CoP can be utilized. The NCEAS CoP will champion health equity by disseminating evidence-based models of education and practice focused on social determinants of health (SDOH), fostering a culture of health and well-being through shared models of transformative health professions education.
Our project serves as a model for fostering partnerships across communities and professions, thereby enabling the free exchange of curriculum and innovative ideas to confront the systemic inequities that continue to perpetuate health disparities, contribute to moral distress, and cause burnout in our healthcare workforce.
Our work stands as a testament to the efficacy of cross-community and cross-professional collaborations in facilitating the free exchange of innovative educational resources and ideas, thus combatting the systemic inequities that sustain health disparities, and alleviating the moral distress and burnout among our healthcare workforce.
Well-documented instances of stigma surrounding mental health represent a significant barrier to accessing both mental and physical healthcare. Integrated behavioral health (IBH) programs, which place behavioral and mental health services within primary care, may lessen the stigma experienced by individuals seeking these services. Our research intended to assess patient and healthcare professional perceptions of mental illness stigma as a barrier to engagement with integrated behavioral health (IBH) programs and to explore strategies for diminishing stigma, stimulating conversations about mental health, and enhancing uptake of IBH services.
In the previous year, 16 patients referred to IBH and 15 healthcare professionals (12 primary care physicians and 3 psychologists) participated in our semi-structured interviews. Two separate coders meticulously transcribed and inductively coded the interviews, resulting in the identification of common themes and subthemes under the categories of barriers, facilitators, and recommendations.
Analyzing interviews with patients and healthcare professionals, we identified ten converging themes addressing barriers, facilitators, and suggested remedies from the dual perspectives of care providers and recipients. Stigma, stemming from professionals, families, and the public, along with self-stigma, avoidance, and internalized negative stereotypes, constituted significant barriers. Normalizing discussions of mental health and mental health care-seeking behaviors, employing patient-centered and empathetic communication strategies, and tailoring the discussion to patients' preferred understanding, are among the facilitators and recommendations.
Healthcare professionals can help minimize stigma by employing patient-centered communication, normalizing mental health discussion, encouraging professional self-disclosure, and adapting their approach to align with each patient's preferred understanding.
By adopting patient-centric communication strategies, encouraging professional self-disclosure, normalizing mental health discussions through conversations, and tailoring their approach to match each patient's preferred way of understanding, healthcare professionals can help lessen the perception of stigma surrounding mental health.
A greater number of individuals opt for primary care over oral health services. Enhancing primary care training by including oral health education will, as a consequence, expand access to care for countless individuals and promote better health equity. In the 100 Million Mouths Campaign (100MMC), 50 state oral health education champions (OHECs) are being established to integrate oral health education into the primary care training program curricula.
OHECs, representing a diversity of fields and specialties, were recruited and trained in six pilot states (Alabama, Delaware, Iowa, Hawaii, Missouri, and Tennessee) between 2020 and 2021. The training program was structured around 4-hour workshops, held across two days, culminating in monthly follow-up meetings. Our evaluation of the program's implementation utilized both internal and external assessments. Post-workshop surveys, focus groups with stakeholders, and key informant interviews with OHECs served to identify and track engagement of primary care programs, highlighting important process and outcome measures.
The survey administered following the workshop indicated that all six OHECs found the sessions helpful in determining the course of action for future statewide OHEC initiatives.