An approach to risk isolation for relatively low-incidence conditions: An Australian national model of oral cellulitis

@#The purpose of this study was to develop a risk indicator applicable on a national level, to isolate at relatively highresolution, regions where oral cellulitis risk is high. The method used ten years of Western Australian (1999 to 2008) hospitalisation data, and applying the admission risks gleaned from this database (poverty, socioeconomics, age and Indigenous status) to model across Australia (at SA1 level) the risk profile. Five levels of oral cellulitis risk (low to very high) were mapped to each of the 54,000 SA1s that makeup Australia. Cumulative percentage analysis was used to study the effect of distance from capital city of each state on the number of population at high risk. Highest risk category (category 5) SA1s were not equally distributed amongst States, with the Northern Territory having 12.2% of its population (26011) belonging to category 5 (very high risk). The majority of that population (87.8%) live more than 100km away from the capital city, Darwin. A general trend amongst Australian capital cities was the low number of population at high risk within 5 km from General Post Office (GPO)

Challenges impeding integration of oral health into primary health care

The primary healthcare [PHC] services in the Islamic Republic of Iran have succeeded in addressing high levels of communicable diseases; however, they seem less able to deal with maternal and paediatric oral diseases. The aim of this study was to examine problems in integrating oral health services into PHC. This was a qualitative research study comprising focus group discussions and interviews. Five focus-group discussions were held with midwives, family healthcare practitioners, rural PHC workers, duty-service dentists, and public health dentists. Also, individual interviews were organized with experts of faculty members in related fields, informant managers and policy makers, and in-depth interviews were done with pregnant women in four PHC centres. Audiotapes were transcribed following each session, and then a qualitative thematic analysis was carried out on gathered data. Data analysis resulted in 4 main themes relating to the challenges: environmental, educational, organizational and school-based programme factors. This study provides a clearer understanding of the challenges of integrating oral health services into PHC