Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior towards oral health among a group of staff caring for elderly people in long-term care facilities in Bangkok, Thailand
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Objective: To assess oral health knowledge, attitudes and behavior of personal oral health care among staff caring for the elders.
Background: Frail and elderly people with chronic illness depend on caregivers’ help for their oral health care.
Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was used to collect data from staffs of long-term care (LTC) facilities in large hospitals in Bangkok. The collected data included demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes towards oral health care, behaviors of participants towards their personal oral care and daily oral care provided for residents. The association between genders, educational levels, past training in elderly care and oral care, and job positions were also assessed.
Results: 135 caring staff of 6 hospitals participated in this study. The results indicated that the nurses had higher scores of knowledge than the other job positions, and educational level and job position showed significant difference of knowledge (P<0.05). Half of the participants were unaware of dental plaque and did not recognize that some medications affect salivation. The participants generally had positive attitudes towards oral health care; however, nearly 20% thought teeth could not be saved through life. Most participants had fair personal oral care. 90% reported that they performed oral care for residents and the difficulty in performing oral care was residents’ in-cooperation.
Conclusion: As nurses are the key persons to set guidelines of oral care and provide training for caring staff, this study suggested that nursing curricula should include oral health care teaching by dental personnel. Oral health education programme should be arranged periodically for both caring staff and elder persons. Therefore, the perception of oral care of residents may be changed. LTC facilities should develop policy related to daily oral care for residents and dental professions collaborate with LTC facilities to provide support to caring staff when indicated.
Article Details
References
2. Kandelman D, Petersen PE, Ueda H. Oral health, general health, and quality of life in older people. Spec Care Dentist 2008; 28: 224-236.
3. Petersen PE, Yamamoto T. Improving the oral health of older people: the approach of the WHO Global Oral Health Programme. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2005; 33: 81-92.
4. Pratt JR. Long-term care: Managing across the continuum. 3th ed: Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2010.
5. Bureau of Dental Health DoH, Ministry of Public Health. The 7th national oral health survey report, Thailand 2012. Bangkok; 2013.
6. Knabe C, Kram P. Dental care for institutionalized geriatric patients in Germany. J Oral Rehabil 1997; 24: 909-912.
7. Vigild M. Oral hygiene and periodontal conditions among 201 dentate institutionalized elderly. Gerodontics 1988; 4: 140-145.
8. Wardh I, Andersson L, Sorensen S. Staff attitudes to oral health care. A comparative study of registered nurses, nursing assistants and home care aides. Gerodontology 1997; 14: 28-32.
9. Khanagar S, Kumar A, Rajanna V, et al. Oral health care education and its effect on caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry 2014; 4: 122-128.
10. Adams R. Qualified nurses lack adequate knowledge related to oral health, resulting in inadequate oral care of patients on medical wards. J Adv Nurs 1996; 24: 552-560.
11. Wardh I, Berggren U, Andersson L, Sorensen S. Assessments of oral health care in dependent older persons in nursing facilities. Acta Odontol Scand 2002; 60: 330-336.
12. Eadie DR, Schou L. An exploratory study of barriers to promoting oral hygiene through carers of elderly people. Community Dent Health 1992; 9: 343-348.
13. Ettinger RL, Miller-Eldridge J. An evaluation of dental programs and delivery systems for elderly isolated populations. Gerodontics 1985; 1: 91-97.
14. Weeks JC, Fiske J. Oral care of people with disability: a qualitative exploration of the views of nursing staff. Gerodontology 1994; 11: 13-17.
15. Chung JP, Mojon P, Budtz-Jorgensen E. Dental care of elderly in nursing homes: perceptions of managers, nurses, and physicians. Spec Care Dentist 2000; 20: 12-17.
16. Joshipura K. The relationship between oral conditions and ischemic stroke and peripheral vascular disease. J Am Dent Assoc 2002; 133 Suppl:23s-30s.
17. Scannapieco FA. Role of oral bacteria in respiratory infection. J Periodontol 1999; 70: 793-802.
18. Frenkel H, Harvey I, Needs K. Oral health care education and its effect on caregivers' knowledge and attitudes: a randomised controlled trial. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2002; 30: 91-100.
19. Reigle JA, Holm K. Knowledge of oral health of nursing staff caring for disadvantaged older people. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice 2016; 6: 31-38.
20. Forsell M, Sjogren P, Kullberg E, et al. Attitudes and perceptions towards oral hygiene tasks among geriatric nursing home staff. Int J Dent Hyg 2011; 9: 199-203.
21. Myers DG. Social psychology. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill College; 1999.
22. Stenberg P, Hakansson J, Akerman S. Attitudes to dental health and care among 20 to 25-year-old Swedes: results from a questionnaire. Acta Odontol Scand 2000; 58: 102-106.
23. Petersen PE, Aleksejuniene J, Christensen LB, Eriksen HM, Kalo I. Oral health behavior and attitudes of adults in Lithuania. Acta Odontol Scand 2000; 58: 243-248.
24. Zar JH. Biostatistical analysis. 5th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall; 2009.
25. Steele JG, Walls AW. Strategies to improve the quality of oral health care for frail and dependent older people. Qual Health Care 1997; 6: 165-169.
26. Eagly AH, Chaiken S. Attitude, structure and function. In: Gilbert DT, Fisk ST, editors. Handbook of Social Psychology. New York: McGowan-Hill; 1998. p. 269-322.
27. Glassman P, Miller C, Wozniak T, Jones C. A preventive dentistry training program for caretakers of persons with disabilities residing in community residential facilities. Spec Care Dentist 1994; 14: 137-143.
28. Yellowitz JA. Training health professionals to address the oral health care of older adults. J Mass Dent Soc 2008; 57: 20-23.
29. Al-Omiri MK, Al-Wahadni AM, Saeed KN. Oral health attitudes, knowledge, and behavior among school children in North Jordan. J Dent Educ 2006; 70: 179-187.
30. Kambhu PP, Levy SM. Oral hygiene care levels in Iowa intermediate care facilities. Spec Care Dentist 1993; 13: 209-214.
31. Stein P, Aalboe J. Dental Care in the Frail Older Adult: Special Considerations and Recommendations. J Calif Dent Assoc 2015; 43: 363-368.
32. Helgeson MJ, Smith BJ. Dental care in nursing homes: guidelines for mobile and on-site care. Spec Care Dentist 1996; 16: 153-164.
33. O'Connor LJ. Oral health care. In: Boltz M, Capezuti E, Fulmer T, Zwicker D, editors. Evidence-based geriatric nursing protocols for best practice. 4th ed. New York: Springer Publishing Company, LLC; 2012. p. 409-418.