Oral Health Survey of the Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina

The Lumbee tribe of Robeson County is the 9th largest American Indian (AI) tribe in the US, and the largest in North Carolina (NC). Due to their rural location, the Lumbee have difficulty gaining access to dental care. AI's in NC have a higher incidence of systemic disease, like diabetes and heart disease, and have increased infant mortality rates and low birth weight babies compared to NC's Caucasian population. Although research suggests links between oral health and systemic conditions, it is unclear how much this NC population knows about these and other oral health issues. Objective: To assess the self-reported oral health status, oral health knowledge, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) and access to dental care issues of the Lumbee tribe. Methods: A survey was developed to assess oral health status, knowledge-base, and access to dental care issues. OHRQOL was assessed using the OHIP-14. The survey was administered to a consecutive convenience sample of Lumbee Indians 18 years or older attending the Lumbee Homecoming Festival in Pembroke, NC. Data were analyzed with JMP version 6.0 software using chi-squared and Fisher's Exact tests. Results: Of the 118 participants, 32% reported fair or poor oral health. Many were unsure if oral conditions caused problems with diabetes (43%), the heart (48%), and pregnancy (50%). Cost (50%), dental fear (27%), being unable to find a dentist (30%), and being unable to miss work (34%) were the main obstacles to accessing dental care. OHRQOL was affected due to pain (30%), feeling tense (25%), and having trouble eating (31%). Age, education level, and income were not associated with knowledge about oral health topics. Conclusion: This study revealed gaps in oral health knowledge, issues regarding access to dental care, and evidence of poor OHRQOL within the Lumbee tribe.