BACKGROUND Many factors influence how a person experiences oral health and how such experiences may facilitate supportive oral health behaviours. Women in particular face different challenges due to their environment, responsibilities and physiological differences to men. Within Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are reported to have poorer oral health and are faced with additional barriers to supporting their oral health compared with non-Indigenous women. The objective of this paper is to report the experiences and perceptions of oral health from the perspective of urban, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. METHODS The present data derive from a descriptive study that used yarning circles and face-to-face interviews with women who were mothers/carers of urban, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children. This was a qualitative study to investigate the impact of child oral health on families. Participants used the opportunity to share their own personal experiences of oral health as women, thus providing data for the present analyses. Information collected was transcribed and analysed thematically. RESULTS Twenty women shared their personal narratives on the topic of oral health which were reflective of different time points in their life: growing up, as an adult and as a mother/carer. Although women are trying to support their oral health across their life-course, they face a number of barriers, including a lack of information and the costs of accessing dental care. The teenage years and pregnancy were reported as important time periods for oral health support. CONCLUSIONS To improve the oral health of Indigenous Australian women, policymakers must consider the barriers reported by women and critically review current oral health information and services. Current oral health services are financially out of reach for Indigenous Australian women and there is not sufficient or appropriate, oral information across the life-course.

中文翻译：

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关于口腔健康的纱线：澳大利亚城市原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民妇女的看法。

背景技术许多因素影响一个人如何体验口腔健康以及这些体验如何促进支持性口腔健康行为。尤其是女性，由于她们的环境、责任以及与男性的生理差异，面临着不同的挑战。据报道，在澳大利亚境内，原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民妇女的口腔健康状况较差，与非原住民妇女相比，她们在支持口腔健康方面面临着额外的障碍。本文的目的是从城市、原住民和托雷斯海峡岛民妇女的角度报告口腔健康的经验和看法。方法 本数据来自一项描述性研究，该研究使用纱线圈和对城市、原住民和/或托雷斯海峡岛民儿童的母亲/照顾者的妇女进行面对面访谈。这是一项定性研究，旨在调查儿童口腔健康对家庭的影响。参与者利用这个机会分享了她们作为女性的口腔健康的个人经历，从而为当前的分析提供了数据。收集的信息被转录并按主题进行分析。结果 20 名女性分享了她们关于口腔健康主题的个人叙述，这些叙述反映了她们生活中的不同时间点：成长、成年和母亲/照顾者。尽管女性在一生中都在努力支持口腔健康，但她们面临着许多障碍，包括缺乏信息和获得牙科护理的费用。据报道，青少年时期和怀孕期间是口腔健康支持的重要时期。结论 为了改善澳大利亚土著妇女的口腔健康，政策制定者必须考虑妇女报告的障碍，并严格审查当前的口腔健康信息和服务。目前的口腔保健服务在经济上对澳大利亚土著妇女来说是遥不可及的，并且在整个生命过程中没有足够或适当的口腔信息。