Current Barriers to Dental Care of Virginia Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

<p><strong>Objective:</strong> The purpose of this study was to determine the barriers to accessing professional dental care for Virginia children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a mechanism for evaluating dental hygiene curricula. <strong>Methods:</strong> Data was collected via Qualtrics® from caregivers of one or more children with ASD who were part of Families of Autistic Children in Tidewater (FACT). The survey was distributed through FACT to all 200 members (N=200) via an email link, and a response rate of 28.5% (N=57) was obtained. Linear regression and logistic regression models were used to analyze data at the p=.05 level of significance. <strong>Results:</strong> Most of the children of the respondents were male (78.95%), Caucasian (63.16%), and an average age of 11 years. A majority of participants’ children (92.98%) had dental insurance. Respondents who reported that their children were Caucasian were significantly more likely to receive professional dental care (p=0.008). Caregivers of children with ASD who indicated a household income above $75,000 in the past year were significantly more likely to receive dental treatment compared to those with a reported household income below $75,000 (p=0.077). Children with ASD indicated to have a high level of cooperation, were significantly more likely to receive treatment from a dental professional within the last six months than children who were indicated as uncooperative (p=0.047). Caregivers who reported their child had dental anxiety were significantly less likely to receive dental treatment compared to those with a reported low level of dental phobia (p=0.025). Interestingly, more than half of participants (59.65%) had not received dental intervention methods to reduce dental anxiety. Conclusion: Results from this study indicate behavior of children with ASD was the main barrier to receiving dental care, including apprehensive behaviors resulting from dental fear. Dental and dental hygiene curricula should include technologies and intervention methods to increase access to dental care in children with ASD; specifically, to address behaviors related to dental treatment fear.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Dental Hygiene

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Alkhthami, Sfair

Contributors dc:contributor

• Ann Bruhn
• Jonna Bobzien
• Norou Diawara

• Access to dental care
• ASD
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Oral health outcomes
• Dentistry

Statement dc:rights

• <p>In Copyright. URI: <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).</p>

Identifier

9781392353615

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.odu.edu:dentalhygiene_etds-1015