Bridging the Gap: Understanding Access Barriers to Dental Services for Individuals Living with Multiple Sclerosis; a scoping review

Seyed kian haji seyed javadi, Aisan Nouri, Hadi Ghasemi
2024 · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-4752803/v1
preprint OA: closed CC-BY-4.0
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Abstract

Abstract Background: Accessing dental care presents a significant challenge for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), influenced by the diverse array of symptoms associated with the disease. This study aimed to identify the obstacles faced by people with MS (PwMS) when accessing dental health services. Method: The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology was employed to explore Embase, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar without date restrictions. Barriers to dental services in MS patients were identified and subsequently analyzed through thematic analysis, using Braun & Clarke approach. Result: Out of 172 articles searched, only three met the inclusion criteria. Barriers extracted from these articles were categorized into 4 main themes and 8 subthemes as follows: intrapersonal (comprising lack of information, manifestation of MS and fear), interpersonal (covering interactions between dental staff and MS patients, systemic interactions and support needs), structural (addressing physical and transportation barriers) and financial. Conclusion: Patients with MS face significant barriers accessing dental services. Enhancing wheelchair accessibility, improving government financial support and upgrading public transportation can notably improve service accessibility. Additionally, educating dental staff and implementing specialized training can enhance their readiness to provide effective care for MS patients.

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License: CC-BY-4.0