Integrating oral health into prenatal care: a scoping review
ISSN: 1476-9018
Article publication date: 11 May 2020
Issue publication date: 22 July 2020
Abstract
Purpose
Integrating preventive oral care into prenatal care is suggested as a strategy for reducing the burden of oral diseases among pregnant women and their offspring. This scoping review sought to synthesize available information and identify knowledge gaps on integrating oral health into prenatal care.
Design/methodology/approach
The scoping review was conducted based on the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review framework using the following databases: CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, ProQuest Dissertation and theses Global, Psychinfo and Web of Science®. No search limits were used. Content analysis of the included articles was performed to identify conceptual frameworks, types of integration used, study designs, study objectives and outcomes.
Findings
Overall, 2,861 references were obtained from the databases search; and based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria 35 references were included in the final analysis. Of these 35 references, one document presented a conceptual model, six documents reviewed guidelines for integrating oral health in prenatal care, two were policy documents aimed at interprofessional collaboration for oral health during pregnancy, eight documents described programs focused on providing oral care during pregnancy, five of the references were literature reviews and the remaining 13 evaluated the impact of integration. Linkages between healthcare professionals were the most common type of integration used.
Research limitations/implications
Despite advances in understanding integrated care concepts for healthcare delivery, there is little evidence available on the impact of the various types of, and strategies for, integrating oral health into prenatal care. Future research to bridge the identified gaps is recommended.
Originality/value
The originality of this study is to provide evidence on integrated oral healthcare during pregnancy.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Kathy Hornby for her help and guidance with the database search and Angela Tether for her help with editing the manuscript. The authors acknowledge Ibrahim Ali Ibrahim's help with the study selection phase of the scoping review. Preliminary data from this study were presented as posters at the International Association for Dental Research Conference Vancouver 2019 and Early Years Conference 2020. The authors also acknowledge the funding support of the Stollery Charitable Foundation and UBC Midwifery.Declaration of interest: None
Citation
Adeniyi, A., Donnelly, L., Janssen, P., Jevitt, C., Siarkowski, M. and Brondani, M. (2020), "Integrating oral health into prenatal care: a scoping review", Journal of Integrated Care, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 291-310. https://doi.org/10.1108/JICA-09-2019-0041
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited