Premium
Implementation and evaluation of an oral health education programme for caregivers in nursing homes
Author(s) -
Konstantopoulou Kalliopi,
Kossioni Anastassia,
Karkazis Hercules,
Polyzois Gregory
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
special care in dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.328
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1754-4505
pISSN - 0275-1879
DOI - 10.1111/scd.12558
Subject(s) - medicine , intervention (counseling) , nursing , health education , nursing homes , educational program , family medicine , physical therapy , public health , political science , law
Aim The aim was the design, implementation, and evaluation of an oral health education program for nursing home caregivers. Methods and results Fifty‐five formal caregivers working in the three units of a nursing home were allocated to either a control (n = 27) or an intervention group (n = 28). A knowledge and attitudes questionnaire about oral health was developed and completed by the caregivers. Then, an education program about oral heath in older people was applied to the intervention group, and the completion of the questionnaire was repeated by both the intervention and control groups. Two months after the intervention, the questionnaire was completed again by the intervention group. Within groups analyses revealed a statistically significant increase in knowledge and attitudes only in the intervention group after the implementation of the education program ( P < .001). Between‐group analyses showed that the total knowledge and attitudes score in the intervention group were statistically significantly higher than in the control group ( P < .001 and P = .02, respectively). In the intervention group, knowledge and attitudes were maintained in the measurement recorded 2 months later ( P = .11 and P = .21, respectively). Conclusion The education program was effective in improving the caregivers’ knowledge and attitudes toward nursing home residents’ oral health and maintaining them 2 months after implementation.