Title: Developing a sustainable model of oral health promotion through co-designing with rural communities in Australia
Abstract:
It is widely acknowledged that people in rural communities experience poorer oral health outcomes than those in larger centres. Further, children and adolescents have been identified as at-risk populations. Effectively engaging them in health promotion has the potential to impact positively on their lifelong general health. Addressing this through a community participatory approach has been the focus of the Engaging Communities in Oral Health Project (Rural ECOH).
This paper reports on the co-design and implementation of innovative practices that have enabled improved oral health outcomes for children and adolescents in three rural communities in North Queensland, Australia. Through exemplars, the presenters will discuss the varied place-based initiatives that are effectively strengthening local capacity to deliver sustainable oral health programs for young people.
This National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funded Rural ECOH project (2014-2016) involved two rural primary health organisations, Royal Flying Doctors Service, State Health Services, Latrobe and James Cook (JCU) Universities working with six rural communities in Queensland and Victoria. The method adopted for the project comprised of two stages.
1) Community participatory planning using structured workshops on: local health and needs, evidence about how to address health challenges, evidence-based initiatives implemented elsewhere and planning local solutions.
2) Implementation of local solutions and monitoring by JCU, local providers and community members.
Innovations designed and implemented in partnership with local community members focused on low-cost, sustainable activities, which were reflective of the rural context and available workforce. Activities included ‘lip the lip’ training for non-oral health practitioners, dry tooth-brushing programmes, oral health checks and oral health promotion for adolescents at school immunisation sessions. Embedding senior dental students into translational research projects and the delivery of oral health promotion to rural adolescents has been integral to the sustainability of this rural project.
The presenter will discuss the role of sustainable partnerships between rural communities, health services and the role of the university over a time of significant changes in the health system. When planning a sustainable way forward, the university provides an enduring anchor organisation within this fluid health environment. Where a university program based on social accountability invests in partnering with primary health organisations, State health services, State Education and other community organisations, then embedding the activities within a rural context is achievable.
