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Effective group behavioral intervention for older periodontal patients
Author(s) -
Little S. J.,
Hollis J. F.,
Stevens V. J.,
Mount K.,
Mullooly J. P.,
Johnson B. D.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of periodontal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.31
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0765
pISSN - 0022-3484
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1997.tb00540.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dentistry , intervention (counseling) , psychiatry
A randomized clinical trial assessed the effect of a group‐based behavior modification intervention on oral hygiene skills, adherence and clinical outcomes for older periodontal patients. Subjects (n=107) were aged 50–70 yr with moderate periodontal disease. They were randomly assigned to usual care or intervention. Intervention consisted of 5 weekly, 90‐min sessions that included skill training, self‐monitoring, weekly feedback about bleeding points and group support focused on long‐term habit change. Four‐month follow‐up indicated significant improvements in the intervention versus the usual periodontal maintenance group for oral hygiene skills and self‐reported flossing (p<0.00l), plaque, gingival bleeding, bleeding upon probing throughout the mouth, and pocket depth for sulcus depths that measured between 3 and 6 mm at baseline (p<0.009). Group oral health intervention provides an effective and relatively inexpensive means of helping patients improve their self‐care skills and achieve high levels of adherence to an effective self‐care regimen.