Implementation and evaluation of an oral health education programme for caregivers in nursing homes.

Abstract

The aim was the design, implementation, and evaluation of an oral health education program for nursing home caregivers. 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). 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.