Villadsen, DB., Sørensen, MT., Gildberg, FA. 2021. Do healthcare professionals face oral suffering? Klinisk Sygepleje. vol. 35,1. DOI: 10.18261/issn.1903-2285-2021-01-03 Status: Published – Danish only
Studies show that oral health of persons with severe mental illnesses (SMI), including schizophrenia, is poor compared to the oral health of the general population. The aim of the study is to explore how adults with schizophrenia experience being met by healthcare professionals in relation to oral health challenges. 23 adults with schizophrenia were interviewed in late 2015. Transcriptions of the interviews were coded using Braun and Clarke’s approach to thematic analysis. Three themes were derived from data: 1) Oral issues being ignored 2) Oral issues addressed as side-effects 3) Oral issues addressed as part of a holistic meeting. We recommend a systematic attention to oral health issues in mental health nursing and multidisciplinary cooperation in order to improve oral health among patients with SMI.