Dental restorations for Dinka and Nuer refugees: A confluence of culture and healing

Steven H. Fox, Mary S. Willis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25, and the Self-reporting Questionnaire-24 were used to evaluate distress among 22 Dinka and Nuer refugees to the US before and after complete restoration of four to six lower front teeth that had been extracted during childhood in Sudan. Participants reported significant improvement in levels of distress following full restoration of missing teeth, including symptoms of PTSD. These results illustrate the value of incorporating community perspectives into the selection of health treatment options for newly arriving populations. But they also emphasize the unique situation faced by each refugee population as they embark on a wholly new cultural learning process.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)452-472
Number of pages21
JournalTranscultural Psychiatry
Volume47
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2010

Keywords

  • African refugees
  • Dinka
  • Nuer
  • refugee acculturation
  • refugee mental health

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health(social science)
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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