Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34001202›Full record

ArticleSubstance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy2021

Non-financial barriers in oral health care: a qualitative study of patients receiving opioid maintenance treatment and professionals' experiences.

Siv-Elin Leirvaag Carlsen, Katja Isaksen, Lars Thore Fadnes, Ole Jørgen Scheie Lygren, Anne Nordrehaug Åstrøm

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Individuals 45 Years and Older in Opioid Agonist Treatment: A Scoping Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Siv-Elin Leirvaag CarlsenDepartment of Addiction medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, PO Box 1400, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Katja IsaksenOral Health Centre of Expertise in Western Norway, PO Box 7900, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
Lars Thore FadnesDepartment of Addiction medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, PO Box 1400, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Ole Jørgen Scheie LygrenDepartment of Addiction medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, PO Box 1400, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
Anne Nordrehaug ÅstrømDepartment of clinical dentistry, University of Bergen, PO Box 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway. Anne.Aastrom@uib.no.ORCID 0000-0002-2707-6115
Haukeland University Hospital · NOWestern Norway University of Applied Sciences · NOWestern Norway University of Applied Sciences · NO

Funding

Helse Vest Regionalt Helseføretak Helse Vest Regionalt HelseføretakNorges Forskningsråd Behandling no 269855Vestland county council Vestland county council
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPeople with substance use disorders often have poor oral health, which can negatively impact their quality of life. Since 2005, patients receiving opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) in Norway have been eligible for free oral health care services offered through public oral health clinics. Despite a large need for oral health services amongst patients in OMT, figures suggest that the use of these services is low amongst this patient group. It has been unclear which barriers that contribute to this. This qualitative study explores the underlying barriers to the use of oral health care services amongst patients in OMT, from the perspective of the patients as well as dental health care workers (DHW).

methodsThrough a combination of focus group interviews and individual interviews, data were collected from 63 participants; 30 patients in OMT and 33 DHW. Thematic analysis identified key themes for the use (or not) of oral health care services amongst patients in OMT.

resultsBoth individual and structural barriers prevent OMT patients from using the free oral health care services offered to them. These barriers include struggling to attend appointments, anxiety and fear of dentists, discrepancies between patients' expectations and the services offered and perceived stigma. OMT patients' lack of information regarding their rights and access to oral health services was also a barrier, as was DHWs' lack of knowledge and information of the OMT system and what they can offer patients.

conclusionsOMT patients face several barriers in accessing and using oral health care services. However, through a number of relatively simple measures, it is possible that the use of oral health services amongst OMT patients can be increased.

Indexed as

Opiate Substitution TreatmentOral HealthDelivery of Health CareHealth Services AccessibilityHumansQualitative ResearchQuality of LifeBarriersDental health care workersOMT patientsOpioid maintenance treatmentOral health

Identifiers

PMID34001202
PMCPMC8130131
OpenAlexW3160899251

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.