Journal of Disability and Oral Health
- Cover Date:
- March 2010
- Print ISSN:
- 1470-8558
- Vol:
- 11
- Issue:
- 1
Disability and cultural issues in research – lessons learned
Aim: To discuss the disability and cultural issues, which need to be considered during the planning and implementation of a study to investigate the oral health of young adults with a learning disability and from a minority ethnic group. Design: A study of the oral health of Bangladeshi young adults with a learning disability is used as an example, to highlight the barriers identified in the research process for this group. These barriers included: access, culture, language and literacy, consent, communication and co-operation. The paper highlights the approach required to gain co-operation for access to the study population via day centres; the development of an oral health questionnaire relevant to the particular ethnic community; and translation requirements. It also describes how support was given during a structured, informed consent process and the use of props, photographs and scales used to support and aid understanding. Results: A participation rate of 98% was obtained in the study and 80% of individuals appeared to enjoy participating. The results showed participants were very aware of oral health and their social implications indicating that the approach used facilitated understanding and communication. Conclusion: By considering and adapting the research process to meet the needs of people with a disability and from an ethnic minority background, the study was acceptable to their needs and participation levels were high.
Key words: Bangladeshi, learning disability, research adaptations
- Article Price
- £15.00
- Institution Article Price
- £
- Page Start
- 37
- Page End
- 43
- Authors
- Mili Doshi, Mary Burke, Janice Fiske
Articles from this issue
- Title
- Pg. Start
- Pg. End
- Establishing a procedure for managing poor standards of oral care in vulnerable and dependent adults
- 14
- 16