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Interdisciplinary and Teaching Medical and Dental Clinic for Inner City Street Youth as a satellite clinic of the Bruyère Family Health Network
Objectives
- To provide accessible, coordinated, comprehensive health and dental care to vulnerable adolescents not presently receiving primary health care services.
- To model and teach interdisciplinary adolescent care to undergraduate medical students, Family Medicine residents and dental hygiene students.
- Improve the health of high risk youth in Ottawa.
- To determine if establishing a FHN node in a Youth Walk in Centre will serve as an effective gateway to a nearby established FHN.
For more information on the research project contact:
innercityyouth@bruyere.org
For information on the clinic contact:
Liette Duguay
Youth Services Bureau Downtown Services and Drop-In
Tel.: 613-241-7788 (412)
lduguay@ysb.on.ca
Methodology / Context
The clinic is located in the Youth Service Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) Downtown Drop-In at 147 Besserer St. It provides primary medical care and dental hygiene to the street youths of Ottawa ages 12-20 and is staffed by a family physician, family medicine residents, a nurse practitioner, public health nurses, a dental hygienist, dental hygiene students and a chiropodist. The clinic has 2 exam rooms which are equipped with both medical and dental equipment resulting in a full service clinic including the ability to suture, perform minor procedures, provide prenatal care through to delivery, postpartum and newborn care, other general medical procedures and dental cleaning to take place. The team work together to provide integrated service to the youths accessing the clinic and link to social services already provided at the centre including housing services, rainbow youth services, a life skills program and counseling.
Phases / Timeline
Project funding ended in March 2006, but the clinical services continue to be offered.
Results
Youth Health:
110 youth participated in the study over a 1 year period for total of 353 visits.
40 (36.4%) male, 70 ( 63.6%) female
Top 5 medical conditions identified:
1. Tobacco use
2. Marijuana abuse
3. Pregnancy/Pregnancy related concerns
4. Homelessness
5. Substance Abuse
Top 5 dental conditions identified:
1. Dental calculus
2. Gingivitis
3. Inadequate homecare
4. Teeth grinding
5. Inflammation of gums
Three most common vaccines given:
1. Menjugate
2. Hepatitis B
3. Fluzone
Other project results to be posted at a later date.
Funding Body and Amount
A budget of $350,600 was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Primary Health Care Transition Fund to build the clinic and conduct the study.
Collaborators
Youth Service Bureau Ottawa
City of Ottawa Public Health
Algonquin College Dental Hygiene Program
Sandy Hill Community Health Centre
Principal Investigator
Melanie Mason, BSc MD MEd CCFP - Project Leader
Assistant Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa.
Co-Investigator
Tom Elmslie - Senior Project Leader
Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa
Links
Youth Service Bureau Ottawa
City of Ottawa Public Health
Algonquin College Dental Hygiene Program
Sandy Hill Community Health Centre
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Primary Health Care Transition Fund |
Research Institute
