Canadian Journal on Aging
Volume 33, Issue 2, 2014, Pages 196-207

Oral healthcare challenges for older punjabi-speaking immigrants (Article)

MacEntee M.I.* , Wong S.T. , Smith A. , Beattie B.L. , Brondani M. , Bryant S.R. , Graf P. , Soheilipour S.
  • a Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6R 2X3, Canada
  • b School of Nursing and Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • c Department of Sociology and Centre on Aging, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  • d Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • e Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6R 2X3, Canada
  • f Department of Oral Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6R 2X3, Canada
  • g Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • h Department of Oral Public Health and Torabinejad Dental Research Center, Dental School, Isfahan University of Medical, Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

This study explored how older Punjabi-speaking South-Asian immigrants (four focus groups; 33 participants) in Surrey, British Columbia, perceive oral health and related problems. Content analysis revealed two umbrella themes: (a) interpretations of mouth conditions and (b) challenges to oral health. The umbrella themes had four sub-Themes: damage caused by heat (wai), disturbances caused by caries, coping with dentures, and quality of life. Three challenges were considered: home remedies, Western dentistry, and difficulties accessing dentists. Participants explained oral diseases in terms of a systemic infection (resha), and preferred to decrease imbalances of wai in the mouth with home remedies from India. We conclude that older Punjabi-speaking immigrants interpret oral health and disease in the context of both Western and Ayurvedic traditions, and that they manage dental problems with a mix of traditional remedies supplemented, if possible, by elective oral health care in India, and by emergency dental care in Canada. © 2014 Canadian Association on Gerontology.

Author Keywords

culture immigrants dentistry Punjabi gerodontology ging South-Asian

Index Keywords

information processing Mouth Diseases mouth disease India Oral Health human Aged ethnology Dental Health Services dental procedure qualitative research health quality of life Humans migrant male Canada Emigrants and Immigrants female Aged, 80 and over very elderly dental caries denture Dentures Focus Groups British Columbia attitude to health Health Services Accessibility health care delivery
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84903301582&doi=10.1017%2fS0714980814000087&partnerID=40&md5=db799ae6962d29a350ba7d58a3dcf377
DOI: 10.1017/S0714980814000087
ISSN: 07149808
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English