IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i19p6859-d1250494.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Exploration of Black Men’s Attitudes and Experiences Communicating with Dentists about Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick D. Smith

    (College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, 801 S. Paulina St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Darien J. Weatherspoon

    (School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, 650 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA)

  • Tiosha Bailey

    (School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Caryn E. Peterson

    (School of Public Health, University of Illinois Chicago, 1603 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Marcus Murray

    (Project Brotherhood, 1510 E. 55th Street, P.O. 15282, Chicago, IL 60615, USA)

  • Osei Bekoe

    (University of Illinois Cancer Center, 818 S. Wolcott St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Anuoluwapo Shadamoro

    (College of Dentistry, University of Illinois Chicago, 801 S. Paulina St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

  • Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters

    (Department of Head & Neck Surgery & Communications Sciences, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
    Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA)

  • Kimberly Nu-Tall

    (University of Illinois Cancer Center, 818 S. Wolcott St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA)

Abstract

Background: Poor oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) survival among Black men is partially due to their limited knowledge about OPCs, which is exacerbated by dentists’ limited training and discomfort in discussing OPC risk factors. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and experiences that Black men have communicating with dentists about OPCs. Methods: To qualitatively assess these attitudes and experiences, a focus group guide and recruitment strategy were developed using a community engagement approach. Data were analyzed using grounded theory. Results: Twenty-three self-identified Black men participated in three focus groups through the Zoom platform (mean age of 46.1 years). Four main themes emerged, which identified that participants: (1) had little knowledge of OPCs; (2) felt that addressing OPC risk among Black men was not a priority for dentists; (3) stressed the importance of dentists acknowledging the complexity of how race and gender affects Black men’s healthcare experiences; and (4) expressed a benefit to receiving information from multiple social networks. Conclusion: The focus groups provided context for how dentists might engage with Black men in discussions about OPC prevention and treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick D. Smith & Darien J. Weatherspoon & Tiosha Bailey & Caryn E. Peterson & Marcus Murray & Osei Bekoe & Anuoluwapo Shadamoro & Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters & Kimberly Nu-Tall, 2023. "An Exploration of Black Men’s Attitudes and Experiences Communicating with Dentists about Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(19), pages 1-8, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:19:p:6859-:d:1250494
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/19/6859/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/19/6859/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wael Sabbah & Aswathikutty Gireesh & Malini Chari & Elsa K. Delgado-Angulo & Eduardo Bernabé, 2019. "Racial Discrimination and Uptake of Dental Services among American Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-8, May.
    2. Satcher, D., 2003. "Overlooked and Underserved: Improving the Health of Men of Color," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 93(5), pages 707-709.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Brenda Hayanga & Mai Stafford & Laia Bécares, 2021. "Ethnic Inequalities in Healthcare Use and Care Quality among People with Multiple Long-Term Health Conditions Living in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-23, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:19:p:6859-:d:1250494. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.