MuMi „Förderung der Mundgesundheitskompetenz und Mundgesundheit von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund“ (English Translation: “Promotion of oral health & oral health literacy of people with migration backgrounds”) is a cooperation project between the Polyclinic for Dental Prosthetics (PDP) and the Institute of Medical Sociology (IMS) at the University Medical Center Hamburg (UKE).
Background
In comparison to the German population, many studies have clearly shown that people who have a migration background have worse oral health—this is especially true for migrants from the Middle East and East Europe 1,2.
This health outcome holds true for all age groups. Good oral hygiene and behavior, a healthy and teeth-friendly diet, and regular visits to the dentists all play an important role in improving oral health 3,4.
Furthermore, oral health influences one’s overall health 5.
Studies have also shown that culture-specific factors and socio-economic status independently influence oral health.
Aim
Based on the previous research mentioned above, the MuMi-Project aims to improve the oral health literary and oral health of migrants and by doing so, reduce health disparities in Germany.
To reach this goal, a culturally-sensitive oral health prevention program was developed and adapted into a mobile app and made available in five languages.
Implementation of the MuMi-Project
In this project, the oral health prevention app will be used and tested by residents living in the “Mitte” district of Hamburg. Partner dental offices located within this district will participants from their patient base. Patients with or without migration background will be asked to participate in the MuMi-Project. As a show of our gratitude for our dentists' engagement, cooperating dental offices will receive monetary compensation for each patient they recruit to participate in the MuMi-Project.
The oral health and oral health competency will be accessed via a short dental examination and a questionnaire. After the initial dental examination, half of the participants will be invited to use the oral health prevention app for 6 months. This app will be available in German, English, Turkish, Russian, and Arabic. After 6 months of use, participants will be asked to return to our cooperating dental offices to undergo another dental examination and to complete the oral health competency questionnaire in order to determine if using the oral health prevention app has improved oral health competency.
Sponser
The MuMi project is funded by the Innovation Fund of the Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) (Grant period: 1 July 2018 - 30 June 2021). The G-BA is the highest decision-making body of the joint self-government in the German health care system. The aim of the Innovation Fund is to improve the quality of care provided by statutory health insurance in Germany. The Innovation Committee set up at the Federal Joint Committee defines the priorities and criteria for funding in funding announcements, carries out procedures to express interests and decides on the applications received for funding.
1 Aarabi G, Reissmann DR, Farhan D, Heydecke G, Kofahl C (2013) Die Mundgesundheit von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund in Deutschland - eine kritische Betrachtung der vorliegenden Studien. Dtsch Zahnärztl Z 68: 280-287.
2 Aarabi G, Reissmann DR, Seedorf U, Becher H, Heydecke G, Kofahl C (2017) Oral Health and Access to Dental Care of Elderly Migrants and Non-Migrants in Germany. Ethnicity and Health.
3 Schäfer T, Schneider A, Hussein R, Schwartz F (2012) BARMER GEK Zahnreport. Siegburg: Asgard Ver-lagsservice GmbH.
4 Pieper K, Momeni A (2006) Grundlagen der Kariesprophylaxe bei Kindern. Dtsch Ärztebl 103:849- 55.
5 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2000) Oral health in America: A report of the Surgeon General - Executive summary. Rockville, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health.