Assessing the Relationship between Oral Health and HIV Status, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation in a Southcentral Pennsylvania Clinic
Open Access
- Author:
- Wagner, Alexandra
- Area of Honors:
- Public Health
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Stephanie A Gill, Thesis Supervisor
Carol Quigley Laregina, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- oral health
hiv/aids
lgbtq+
public health - Abstract:
- Background: Oral health has been historically excluded from traditional medicine. However, a vast body of research has linked oral and systemic health and concluded that good oral health is imperative to good overall health. While it is known that persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ+) community are two marginalized groups who face unique health challenges in other arenas, little to no research has been done to assess the oral health characteristics of the LGBTQ+ community globally and PLWHA community in southcentral Pennsylvania. This study seeks to explore the relationship between oral health and HIV status, gender identity, and sexual orientation to determine if these factors may be associated with various oral health characteristics. Methods: This descriptive quantitative study used a survey design to gather self-reported demographic and oral health data using a 23-item survey. Participants were sampled from a southcentral Pennsylvania clinic primarily serving PLWHA and LGBTQ+ patients and invited to complete the paper survey during their clinic visit. A total of 229 surveys were collected. Results: HIV positive individuals reported significantly poorer oral health status and higher rates of unmet oral health need while also reporting better oral health hygiene behaviors. No significant associations were found between gender identity and any oral health characteristics. Oral health outcomes varied by sexual identity; individuals who identified as a less common sexual orientation grouped into “Other” and those who identified as bi/pansexual reported consistently worse oral health states, behaviors, and attitudes compared to straight and gay/lesbian individuals. Conclusions: The data suggest that PLWHA and LGBTQ+ persons have unique oral health characteristics and experience high rates of unmet oral health need. Oral health care should be encouraged in marginalized populations such as these to reduce such disparities.