Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 27, 2025

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Barriers and facilitators to integrate oral health care for older adults in general (basic) care in East Netherlands.
Dominique Niesten1, Anneloes E Gerritsen1, Verena Leve2
1College of Dental Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Objective:
to synthesise a framework of barriers and facilitators in the normative integration of oral health care (OHC) into general health care for frail older adults at macro (system), meso (organisation and interprofessional integration) and micro (clinical practice) levels.
Background:
Identification of these barriers and facilitators is expected to promote better and more appropriate care.
Methods:
For this qualitative study, comprising 41 participants, representatives of 10 different groups of (professional) care providers, and OHC receivers (home-dwelling, and nursing home patients) in East Netherlands were interviewed. Transcripts of the in-depth, topic-guided interviews were thematically analysed. In a subsequent workshop with 52 stakeholders, results and interpretations were discussed and refined.
Results:
Two main themes were identified: (1) a compartmentalised care culture in which OHC and general health care are seen as two separate realms, and (2) prioritisation, awareness and attitude regarding OHC integration. Subthemes such as low political attention (macro level); unclear responsibilities, hierarchical relations and the lack of vision of organisations (meso level); and poor awareness and low prioritisation by care providers and patients (micro level) were identified as potential barriers. Subthemes such as leadership (meso level), and the supportive personality of individual caregivers and ownership of patients (micro level) were identified as facilitators.
Conclusion:
Barriers and facilitators in normative OHC integration in The Netherlands are interrelated and apparent at macro-, meso- and micro levels. They are mainly related to (a) a compartmentalised care culture, and (b) related low prioritisation, and poor awareness of and attitude towards (integration of) oral health (care).
Related Concept Videos
Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Traditional Level Of Health Care System
The preventive healthcare service includes tests for screening. Preventive health care services include identifying and reducing disease risk...
Methods Of Healthcare Delivery System
Managed Care System:
The managed care system is designed to control the cost while maintaining the quality of care. The patient's care from admission to discharge is planned by the primary care provider or the case manager, also known as the gatekeeper. In a managed care system, the number of care providers is...

