Dental Health Promotion and Innovation Development of Elderly Club, Nonghin Village, Sila District, Amphur Muang, Khonkaen Province

Abstract

           This participatory action research (PAR) was conducted to study dental health promotion activities of elderly club in Nonghin Village, a suburban village in KhonKaen Province. The researchers arranged learning process to develop elderly capability on project participation included planning, operation, monitoring and evaluation. After performed research project on October 2007-September 2008, the data was collected by interview, focused group discussion, participatory observation and dental health examination. Descriptive analysis and content analysis was used to describe the research result.

          Results

          1. The leaders of elderly club could conduct dental health promotion activities derive from problems and needs of the members. The activities comprise of dental health examination and health education individually via village broadcasts, refer case to Royal Denture Project, toothbrush and toothpaste fund establishment. Additionally, novel folk songs for dental health promotion among elderly, an innovation presented local wisdom was created as well.

          2. The member’s opinion survey found that most of elderly (98%) received knowledge from the leaders. The knowledge received most often was tooth brushing (74.1%), others knowledge received less often were toothpick using (20.7%) and denture care (17.2%). To examine health benefit from leader’s activities, researchers asked about advantages gained among elderly from leader’s activities and found that 90% of elderly gained more knowledge as well as intended on dental health care more than they did. Meanwhile, 86% of elderly indicated of getting more service of dental health care.

          3. The project exhibited some changes in both term of dental health behavior and dental health status. Most of elderly had better dental health practice than they did before such as brushed teeth at least twice daily including before bedtime, brushed teeth with correct technique and used soft toothbrush. In case of denture using, the elderly cleaned denture after meal and immersed in water during bedtime. Regarding oral health status of elderly, the problem such as dental caries, teeth mobility and dental calculus reduced to 39.7%, compared with 56.9% found in 2007. Accordingly, Gingivitis and dental calculus reduced from 80.8% to 62.1%, tooth mobility reduced from 26.9% to 19.0% and dental caries reduced from 51.9% to 51.7%.