Abstract
BackgroundOral healthcare service provision for dependent older adults is often poor. For dental services to provide more responsive and equitable care, evidence-based approaches are needed. To facilitate future research, the development and application of a core outcome set would be beneficial. The aim of this study is to develop a core outcome set for oral health services research involving dependent older adults.MethodsA multi-step process involving consensus methods and including key stakeholders will be undertaken. This will involve identifying potentially relevant outcomes through a systematic review of previous studies examining the effectiveness of strategies to prevent oral disease in dependent older adults, combined with semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. Stakeholders will include dependent older adults, family members, carers, care-home managers, health professionals, researchers, dental commissioners and policymakers. To condense and prioritise the long list of outcomes generated by the systematic review and semi-structured interviews, a Delphi survey consisting of several rounds with key stakeholders, as mentioned above, will be undertaken. The 9-point Likert scale proposed by the GRADE Working Group will facilitate this consensus process. Following the Delphi survey, a face-to-face consensus meeting with key stakeholders will be conducted where the stakeholders will anonymously vote and decide on what outcomes should be included in the finalised core outcome set.DiscussionDeveloping a core set of outcomes that are clinically and patient-centred will help improve the design, conduct and reporting of oral health services research involving dependent older adults, and ultimately strengthen the evidence base for high-quality oral health care for dependent older adults.Trial registrationThe study was registered with the COMET initiative on 9 January 2018 http://www.cometinitiative.org/studies/details/1081?result=true.
Highlights
Oral healthcare service provision for dependent older adults is often poor
The proportion of older adults aged 65 years and over in the United Kingdom (UK) has been steadily increasing, and it is expected that this trend will continue [1]
Step 3—Consensus building: Delphi survey To reduce and prioritise the long list of outcomes generated by the systematic review and semi-structured interviews, a Delphi survey involving key stakeholders will be undertaken
Summary
Oral healthcare service provision for dependent older adults is often poor. For dental services to provide more responsive and equitable care, evidence-based approaches are needed. The proportion of older adults aged 65 years and over in the United Kingdom (UK) has been steadily increasing, and it is expected that this trend will continue [1] This demographic transition towards an ageing society inevitably presents significant challenges for health and social care services. Many older adults are retaining their dentition for longer compared with a few decades ago [3] Those who are dentate increasingly present with complex restorations (e.g. crowns, bridges, and dental implants) that have a limited lifespan, high levels of oral diseases such as dental decay and periodontal disease, and increases in dry mouth prevalence due to poly-pharmacy [4, 5]. As the population continues to age and the proportion of older adults increases, the number of older adults with oral health problems will increase
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