Bill Overview
Title: Oral Health Literacy and Awareness Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to conduct a public education campaign to increase oral health literacy and awareness. HRSA must design the campaign to focus on children, pregnant women, parents, older adults, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities.
Sponsors: Sen. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Target Audience
Population: People who will benefit from increased oral health literacy and awareness globally
Estimated Size: 290000000
- The bill focuses on enhancing oral health literacy and awareness.
- The target populations mentioned include children, pregnant women, parents, older adults, people with disabilities, and racial and ethnic minorities.
- Oral health is a critical aspect of overall health and wellbeing, and improving literacy and awareness could impact a wide range of health outcomes.
Reasoning
- The policy targets various groups that may not have adequate access to oral health information, potentially enhancing their overall wellbeing through better health outcomes.
- The policy's budget limitations were considered to simulate realistic impacts on a diverse set of individuals, including both those who might benefit greatly and others who might not feel any impact.
- In selecting subjects for interviews, emphasis was placed on diversity in age, occupation, and socio-economic status to reflect the bill's focus areas.
- Some individuals may not experience a change due to adequate prior access to oral health resources, reflecting a common scenario.
- The policy's long-term effects may extend beyond the 10-year budget period, thus we consider 20-year projections for Cantril scores.
Simulated Interviews
Teacher (New York, NY)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm aware of the importance of oral health but often find it challenging to get my kids involved.
- Educating parents and kids can be a game-changer, especially in communities where health literacy is low.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Software Developer (San Antonio, TX)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think oral health awareness could help those who don't have the resources to learn about it.
- For me personally, it wouldn't change much.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Retired (Detroit, MI)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As an older adult, understanding better how to care for my oral health would be very beneficial.
- This policy could really help people like me maintain our health longer.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Construction Worker (Seattle, WA)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see this benefiting folks who don't have dental insurance, raising awareness can prevent bigger health problems.
- For my family, we might not see a big change.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College Student (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 22 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Being pregnant, I think knowing more about oral health is important.
- Information should be easily accessible to people my age.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
Disabled Veteran (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often struggle with accessing information due to my disability, more resources would definitely help.
- Healthcare systems need to address oral health as part of overall wellbeing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Student (Boston, MA)
Age: 10 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't really think about my teeth much, but if it's taught in school, I'll learn more.
- Kids like me often don't hear much about the impact of oral health on your life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Homemaker (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Language barriers make it hard for me to access information about healthcare.
- I believe this policy will help make information more available in languages other than English.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Freelancer (Miami, FL)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Oral health is not something I was taught much about growing up.
- Policies like this can help educate people who don't have easy access to medical advice.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired Dentist (Chicago, IL)
Age: 70 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I fully support the policy as a former practitioner.
- It will provide much-needed attention to areas often neglected.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 2: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 3: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 5: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 10: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 100: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Key Considerations
- Effective measurement of campaign impact will be crucial for assessing value and success.
- Coordination with local and national health organizations is vital for a comprehensive approach.
- Identifying culturally appropriate messaging tactics will be important for reaching diverse populations.