The Impact of Community Empowerment Programs on Oral Health Education for Knowledge Improvement in the Elderly

Abstract

Objective This study aims to assess whether community empowerment as a health promotion program can improve the knowledge of the elderly and develop self-awareness about their oral health. The elderly population has increased in number and needs special attention, especially regarding the improvement of hygiene and health. Community empowerment is a type of health promotion program that can take the form of counseling and providing knowledge about oral health to the elderly. Materials and Methods Participants are elderly aged 60 years or older. Counseling was done by oral medicine specialists and residents to provide knowledge about oral health problems. Assessment of knowledge improvement was done using pretest and posttest in a written questionnaire. Statistical Analysis The Shapiro–Wilk test followed by the Wilcoxon test was used to compare the difference before and after counseling. Results From a total of 38 elderly included in this study, 29 (76.32%) showed an improved score in posttest compared with pretest. Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between pretest and posttest scores of study participants (p < 0.005). Conclusion Counseling in empowerment programs can help the elderly improve their knowledge about oral health, so that improvements can be expected to be followed by the development of self-awareness in the future.

Can oral health care be a gateway to improve cardiovascular disease? A scoping review

“…In light of growing evidence on oral health care and its impact on CVDs, many of the high-risk cardiac patients and even cardiac- clinicians lack awareness/knowledge of this association which often leads to ignorance among clinicians to provide oral health assessment, education, and dental referrals for patients with CVD ( 47 , 48 ). Oral health promotion is an under-looked yet effective way to increase one's awareness of oral health and its association with systematic conditions, and empower individuals across all age groups to take control of their oral health and potential their risk of systemic conditions ( 49 ). The primary objective of oral health education programs is to enhance the oral health of individuals by enhancing their oral health care behavior.…”