Journal article
Emergency Department Visits for Nontraumatic Dental Problems: A Mixed-Methods Study
American journal of public health (1971), Vol.105(5), pp.947-955
05/01/2015
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302398
PMCID: PMC4386544
PMID: 25790415
Abstract
Objectives. We documented emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental problems and identified strategies to reduce ED dental visits.
Methods. We used mixed methods to analyze claims in 2010 from a purposive sample of 25 Oregon hospitals and Oregon's All Payer All Claims data set and interviewed 51 ED dental visitors and stakeholders from 6 communities.
Results. Dental visits accounted for 2.5% of ED visits and represented the second-most-common discharge diagnosis in adults aged 20 to 39 years, were associated with being uninsured (odds ratio [OR] = 5.2 [reference: commercial insurance]; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8, 5.5) or having Medicaid insurance (OR = 4.0; 95% CI = 3.7, 4.2), resulted in opioid (56%) and antibiotic (56%) prescriptions, and generated $ 402 (95% CI = $ 396, $ 408) in hospital costs per visit. Interviews revealed health system, community, provider, and patient contributors to ED dental visits. Potential solutions provided by interviewees included Medicaid benefit expansion, care coordination, water fluoridation, and patient education.
Conclusions. Emergency department dental visits are a significant and costly public health problem for vulnerable individuals. Future efforts should focus on implementing multilevel interventions to reduce ED dental visits.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Emergency Department Visits for Nontraumatic Dental Problems: A Mixed-Methods Study
- Creators
- Benjamin C. Sun - Oregon Health & Science UniversityDonald L. Chi - University of WashingtonEli Schwarz - Oregon Health & Science UniversityPeter Milgrom - University of WashingtonAnnick Yagapen - Oregon Health & Science UniversitySusan Malveau - Oregon Health & Science UniversityZunqui Chen - Oregon Health & Science UniversityBen Chan - Oregon Health & Science UniversitySankirtana Danner - Oregon Health & Science UniversityErin Owen - Slocum Research and Education FoundationVickie Morton - Oregon Health & Science UniversityRobert A. Lowe - Oregon Health & Science University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of public health (1971), Vol.105(5), pp.947-955
- Publisher
- Amer Public Health Assoc Inc
- DOI
- 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302398
- PMID
- 25790415
- PMCID
- PMC4386544
- ISSN
- 0090-0036
- eISSN
- 1541-0048
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- K08DE020856 / National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) Ronald McDonald House Charities Global Oregon Community Foundation Pacific Source Charitable Foundation Samaritan Health Services Ronald McDonald House Charity of Oregon Kaiser Permanente Ronald McDonald House Charity of Southwest Washington Ford Family Foundation K08DE020856 / NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL & CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) Northwest Health Foundation
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/01/2015
- Academic Unit
- Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984283852002771
Metrics
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