Increasing Awareness Of Sustainable Oral Health In The Elderly With The Peer Group Methods At Klinic Pratama 'Aisyiyah Moyudan Sleman Yogyakarta 2023

Abstract

Introduction - The link between disease and age is extremely complicated. Age explains more variation in disease incidence than any other known factor, including oral diseases. Periodontal infections and dental caries are the most frequent human diseases and the leading causes of tooth loss. Both disorders can impair nutrition and have a detrimental impact on self-esteem and quality of life. The aim of this study is to maximize self-efficacy and health literacy through health empowerment, elderly adults with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), hypertension, or other systemic disorders require dental health promotion by creating dental and oral health cadres, the goal is to raise elderly's awareness of dental and oral health through peer groups.
 Method - Forming and educating cadres in oral health was one of the tasks done. Two men and two women who were patients at the Klinic Pratama ‘Aisyiyah Moyudan Sleman Yogyakarta Indonesia and also members of chronic disease management Program (PROLANIS), were chosen as cadres. The cadres were given tooth brushing aids and dental and oral health posters, which were then used to train 30 elderly participants on how to brush their teeth properly and correctly. The training participants worked on pre-test and post-test questions before and after the training.
 Result – Oral health cadres have been selected and trained to provide education to fellow elderly and participants. The education conducted by the cadres for 30 other participants generated very good results, where the average post-test score experienced a high increase (90) compared to the pre-test average score (60). In the second and third month after the program's execution, cadres' activities were independently monitored. Dental and oral health cadres could teach the people how to brush their teeth effectively.
 Implications – Promotive and preventive efforts carried out by cadres who were fellow elders employing peer group methods get excellent results, whereas education carried out from and by the internal community was more targeted and achieved excellent results.