Oral health in prison: an integrative review
International Journal of Prisoner Health
ISSN: 1744-9200
Article publication date: 18 March 2022
Issue publication date: 10 May 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Prisoners’ oral health is an often overseen, yet important aspect of the general health of prisoners. To develop effective measures to improve the situation, it is important to get an overview of existing research. The purpose of this study is to examine and analyse existing research on oral health of prisoners and provide a thorough understanding of prisoners’ oral health and related factors.
Design/methodology/approach
Due to relatively few scientific papers on prisoners’ oral health, an integrative review was chosen. Integrative reviews allow for the inclusion of diverse methodologies. A literature search was conducted, followed by an assessment of the quality of the studies by using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the studies.
Findings
The few studies addressing European prisoners’ oral health in the last 21 years differ in design and methodology. The results from this review indicate that prisoners’ oral health is a complex phenomenon and should be understood from both individual and organisational perspectives. More research is needed to bridge the gap in the literature on prisoners’ oral health.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first literature review on European prisoners’ oral health.
Keywords
Citation
Evensen, K.B. and Bull, V.H. (2023), "Oral health in prison: an integrative review", International Journal of Prisoner Health, Vol. 19 No. 2, pp. 251-269. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPH-08-2021-0081
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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