Project Summary
According to a 2015 report published by the US Center for Communicable Disease, chronic periodontal disease (PD) affects nearly one out of two US adults ages 30 and over—64.7 million Americans. PD is the main cause of tooth loss in adults and is associated with the severity of other chronic conditions, particularly diabetes and vascular disease. This Tier I project will focus on the development of a community of patients and caregivers of patients who have been diagnosed with chronic PD, who live in Marion and Polk counties in Oregon. The emphasis will be on an inclusive group of high-risk PD patients including the elderly, adults from ethnic minorities, persons with low incomes, and persons with limited education. Individual patients will be invited to 1) exchange their experiences of living with PD, and 2) use this community group as a forum for discussions about comparative effectiveness research (CER) concerning PD care, treatment, and management, especially in-home care and management.
Expected results of the Tier I phase include building a community of active, interested, and informed patients who will develop a guidance and communications strategy designed to facilitate patient discussions; to engage clinicians, public health professionals, and researchers in the Pacific Northwest with the PD patient community; and to disseminate information about PD. CER-based research questions will be formulated by the larger group to serve as the basis for submission of a PCORI proposal regarding treatment and management of chronic PD.