A follow up study of dental patient education in the workplace: Participants' opinions

Abstract

This study was a follow up to a previous study which showed a longterm effect of a dental patient education programme among unskilled workers aged 18–64 years. The investigator suggested that the reason for the longterm effect was the use of active involvement of the participants. The aim of the present study was to examine what the participants themselves thought of the progrmme and what they thought was the reason for any behavioural change. Twenty subjects were interviewed in-depth by a trained psychologist using a tape recorder. The transcribed data were analysed and compared to the previously suggested active-involvement principle. There was a strong resemblance between the active-involvement principle and the participants' own expressions of the reasons for the behavioural changes. The most important factors were (a) the programme carried out during working hours at the place of work, (b) the use of peer-groups and (c) these peer-groups' feelings of having a voice in deciding the content of the programme. It is recommended to include dental patient education based on active involvement in future health promotion programmes in the workplace.