The Status of Oral Health in People with Spinal Cord Injury in the United States is part of the Mount Sinai Spinal Cord Injury Model System. Participants in this research study can participate in this specific module if they qualify for the MAIN STUDY.

The primary aim of this proposed module is to characterize the oral health status of people with SCI. As this is an exploratory study, we have not formulated hypotheses related to each aim. However, our central hypothesis is that people with chronic SCI face numerous barriers to accessing oral health care and may experience poorer oral health outcomes that negatively affect their physical and psychosocial health. We propose five RQs that will bridge current gaps in our knowledge of this critically important, but generally overlooked aspect of health care for those with SCI.

RQ1:What are the oral health care practices reported by people with SCI?
RQ2: What oral health problems are experienced by people with SCI?
RQ3: What are barriers to and facilitators of obtaining oral health care and maintaining oral health for people with SCI?
RQ4: What is the impact of oral health on self-reported physical health in people with SCI?
RQ5: What is the impact of oral health on self-reported psychosocial health in people with SCI?