Browsing by Author "Larsson, Laura S."

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Improving Early Childhood Caries for American Indian 3- to 5-Year-Old Children Through Interprofessional Outreach: 2018–2022
(American Public Health Association, 2023-02) Larsson, Laura S.; Hodgson, Christine
We sought to determine the effectiveness of an interprofessional health team in improving access to oral health care among American Indian children enrolled in Head Start. Our team provided preventive treatments and case management during 11 visits from 2018 to 2022. Case management reduced the time between referral and dental treatment from a median of 166 days to 58.3 days over four years. An interprofessional team is an effective way to improve access to oral health care among rural American Indian Head Start children. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print February 2, 2023:e1–e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307205 )
Interprofessional oral health initiative in a nondental, American Indian setting
(2017-09) Murphy, Kate L.; Larsson, Laura S.
Background and Purpose Tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease and American Indian (AI) children are at increased risk. Pediatric primary care providers are in an opportune position to reduce tooth decay. The purpose of this study was to integrate and evaluate a pediatric oral health project in an AI, pediatric primary care setting. Methods The intervention set included caregiver education, caries risk assessment, and a same-day dental home referral. All caregiver/child dyads age birth to 5 years presenting to the pediatric clinic were eligible (n = 47). Conclusions Most children (n = 35, 91.1%) were scored as high risk for caries development. Of those with first tooth eruption (n = 36), ten had healthy teeth (27.8%) and seven had seen a dentist in the past 3 months (19.4%). All others were referred to a dentist (n = 29) and 21 families (72.4%) completed the referral. Implications for Practice In fewer than 5 min per appointment (x = 4.73 min), the primary care provider integrated oral health screening, education, and referral into the well-child visit. Oral health is part of total health, and thus should be incorporated into routine well-child visits.
The Montana Radon Study: Social Marketing via Digital Signage Technology for Reaching Families in the Waiting Room
(American Public Health Association, 2015-03) Larsson, Laura S.
Objectives. I tested a social marketing intervention delivered in health department waiting rooms via digital signage technology for increasing radon program participation among priority groups. Methods. I conducted a tricounty, community-based study over a 3-year period (2010–2013) in a high-radon state by using a quasi-experimental design. We collected survey data for eligible participants at the time of radon test kit purchase. Results. Radon program participation increased at the intervention site (t38 = 3.74; P = .001; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.8, 16.0) with an increase in renters (χ21,228 = 4.3; P = .039), Special Supplementary Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children families (χ21,166 = 3.13; P = .077) and first-time testers (χ21,228 = 10.93; P = .001). Approximately one third (30.3%; n = 30) attributed participation in the radon program to viewing the intervention message. The intervention crossover was also successful with increased monthly kit sales (t37 = 2.69; P = .01; 95% CI = 1.20, 8.47) and increased households participating (t23 = 4.76; P < .001; 95% CI = 3.10, 7.88). Conclusions. A social marketing message was an effective population-based intervention for increasing radon program participation. The results prompted policy changes for Montana radon programming and adoption of digital signage technology by 2 health departments.
Oral Health Exemplar for Interprofessional Education and Practice
(2021-01) Larsson, Laura S.
To reinforce the interprofessional education and practice trends in contemporary curricular standards, traditional undergraduate and accelerated nursing students read Teeth in their senior-level population-based healthcare course.