한국치위생학회

Oral care status and elderly oral health knowledge of care workers and caregivers with regard to patients with dementia

Kyeong-Hee Lee1   Yoon-Young Choi1   Eun-Seo Jung1,*   

신한대학교 치위생학과

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to contribute to the development of an oral hygiene care program for patients with dementia by understanding the oral care status and oral health knowledge of care workers and caregivers with regard to patients with dementia. Methods: For about two months from May to June 2018, a survey of care workers and caregivers working in long-term nursing homes and elderly-specialized nursing hospitals was performed, and 442 people were selected for the final analysis. The frequency and percentage were calculated to understand the oral care status and oral health knowledge regarding patients with dementia, and an independent t-test was conducted to determine the difference between the elderly oral health knowledge of care workers and caregivers. Multiple regression analysis was also carried out to examine factors affecting elderly oral health knowledge. Results: With respect to the factor of oral health education in elderly oral health knowledge, oral health knowledge was shown to be highest when participants responded that education was unnecessary (p<0.001), and regarding the will to participate in oral health education, oral health knowledge was highest when participants responded as having no desire to participate (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that a standard manual should be developed for the accurate and qualitative management of oral hygiene care tasks performed by care workers and caregivers who are in charge of oral care for patients with dementia in order to provide continuous and systematic oral care.

Figures & Tables

Table 1. Oral hygiene helping status in patients with dementia Unit : N(%)