Oral health care for mentally disabled - the caregivers‘s daily confrontations

Abstract

Problem Oral health care for disabled is a health care area that has received scant attention. More than one billion people in the world live with some form of disability, of whom nearly 200 million experience considerable difficulties in functioning (World report on disability, 2011). Oral hygiene affects eating and speech, and this has an impact on social and psychological aspect of life (Mirza, 2001). Many persons with severe disabilities are completely dependent on caregivers for maintaining an adequate every day oral hygiene level. (Kisely S, 2015). In institutional settings, such residents can be extremely uncooperative and present problems for non–dental personnel who generally view oral care as a low priority and an unpleasant task. The analysis seeks to describe overall oral health care every day accessibility for mentally disabled persons and to identify if caregivers are aware of their duties, what barriers their are facing or have a need to improve the services quality. Methods This study was conducted among 42 social workers' assistants. Reviewers rated social care home using a 22-item instrument that assessed oral health care every day accessibility for mentally disabled persons and to identify how their activities know social worker assistants. Data from the questionnaires were coded and a descriptive analysis conducted. Results The average age of surveyed caregivers was 46 years and their experiences in this job start from 3 months to 28 years. 47% have secondary education, 45% have higher education. Every social workers' assistant has minimum 6 and maximum 20 mentally disabled persons to take care of. Half of their clients can brush teeth theirself, but they need to be watched. According to respondents' answers 64% of their clients get dental check-up once every six months, 19% - once a year, 14% - never. 61% of social workers' assistants face giving dental care problems, such as toothpaste swallo [...].