The Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program

Ebersole, Jeffrey

Abstract

A concept used as the basis for this proposal is that periodontopathogens successfully colonizing susceptible hosts initiate a chronic infection of these hosts. Active host antibody responses are a common phenomenon accompanying systemic and oral bacterial infections with periodontopathogens. It is clear that early intervention in these types of infections can lead to much more efficient treatment and the potential to avoid more severe complications of the disease progression. Thus, early diagnosis of specific oral bacterial infections could be utilized as an adjunct to provide earlier treatment decisions. We have developed sensitive procedures for the detection of systemic antibody responses to oral bacteria. However, irrespective of the ease of use, sensitivity and specificity of the laboratory tests, if the intervention so as to maintain oral health then the development of laboratory tests falls short of their desired outcome. Thus, the aims of this proposal are designed to utilize a rapid, inexpensive, easily accessible laboratory test to identify individuals at risk for periodontitis and document clinical parameters of periodontitis. The same subjects will be administered and psychosocial tools to assess the perception of the individuals to the importance of this information and their interest in accessing additional oral health care.
Two aims have been developed for this project:
Specific Aim I. To Assess the Prevalence of Elevated Serum Antibody and Periodontitis in Hispanic Mother-Daughter Pairs:
This aim will be accomplished using an ongoing study of hispanic mother-daughter pairs being performed concomitantly at The University of Texas at San Antonio, The University of Texas at Arlington, and The University of Texas Pan American. Each pair of subjects will be examined for elevated serum antibody to 5 selected periodontopathogens and clinically assessed for periodontitis.
Specific Aim II. to Assess the Personal and Oral Health Attitudes of Hispanic Mother-Daughter Pairs: Psychosocial tools will be administered to examine attitudes concerning oral health and access to care. This will allow an assessment of potential Hispanic ethnic influences that contribute to improvement of oral health based upon a potential public health measurement for early assessment of disease risk. The design of this proposal is to develop the collaborative relationships necessary to initiate exploratory studies linking laboratory and psychosocial analyses to elucidate parameters of oral health in a minority population.