Supporting Organisation: Hertfordshire Community Trust HCT
About Una's fellowship project
Title: How do parents in households experiencing both food poverty and poor oral health encounter and perceive issues around shame in relation to oral healthcare?
Across the UK, children living in more deprived areas experience higher levels of untreated dental decay than those in less deprived areas. This oral health inequality means these children experience chronic severe pain and higher admission to hospital for tooth extractions under general anaesthetic. Current national projects focus predominantly on extrinsic factors affecting families' ability to access dental care. However, hidden intrinsic factors must be explored in order to break down hidden barriers to access. Poor oral health is a uniquely visible manifestation of poor health and can attract stigma, othering, discrimination and social exclusion. Perceptions of how others view you can give rise to deep feelings of shame. Feelings of shame are seldom discussed and as such are a hidden social determinant. This research project will involve exploratory qualitative primary research which is urgently needed to explore the dynamic role of shame as both a driver and outcome of poor oral health in children.
Removing perceptions of shame and stigma will empower parents and carers to believe they can make positive changes to prevent decay and improve oral health outcomes. This work supports patients engaging in services at the researcher’s organisation, Hertfordshire Community Trust (HCT) but also has implications for all families living in areas of high deprivation who are experiencing oral health inequalities.
Contact Una: Una.monaghan@nhs.net