Special Health Care Needs
Shatha Jaber, DDS
General Practice Resident
St. Luke's University Hospital Network
St. Luke's University Hospital Network
allentown, Pennsylvania, United States
Erikina Sartbaeva, DMD
St. Luke's University Hospital Network
Erika Correa, DDS
St. Luke's University Hospital Network
Priya V. Patel, DMD
Faculty
St. Luke's University Hospital Network
Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States
Priya V. Patel, DMD
Faculty
St. Luke's University Hospital Network
Allentown, Pennsylvania, United States
Purpose: To explore the associations between adolescent depression scores with oral health outcomes such as oral hygiene, caries risk assessment, attendance to dental appointments and pending dental treatment.
Methods: The sample consisted of adolescent patients at a community health center. The Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A) depression screening questionnaire was administered during their annual wellness visits. Retrospective chart review included a review of depression scores, dental oral hygiene, caries risk assessment, number of hygiene visits attended, and demographic information. Statistical analysis included descriptives, correlations and group comparisons.
Results: A total of 556 adolescents participated in the study. On average, participants were 14.4 years old (SD=1.7), half of the sample identified as female (50%), and most participants were Hispanic (73%). The mean depression score was 3.75 (SD=4.6), suggesting a minimal risk for depression. There was a negative association between depression screening scores and frequency of dental visits (P=.04). There was a positive association between depression and caries risk assessment (P=.08) as well as pending dental treatment (P=.06); however, these relationships were not significant. Compared to males, females presented with higher prevalence of positive depression screening scores [OR=3.04; 95% CI (2.06, 4.50)].
Conclusions: Female adolescents present with higher prevalence of depression screening scores. Associations with some oral health outcomes are trending towards significance which reveal the importance of ongoing screening and monitoring of depressive symptoms in dental care settings. Dental providers have the potential to play a role in helping identify patients at risks for negative health outcomes