Validation of a simplified oral indicator for home care nurses to refer older people to dental care professionals

Lina F. Weening-Verbree; Annemarie A. Schuller; Wim P. Krijnen; Cees P. van der Schans; Sytse U. Zuidema; Johannes S. M. Hobbelen

doi:10.2340/aos.v83.42487

Acta Odontologica Scandinavica (Dec 2024)

Validation of a simplified oral indicator for home care nurses to refer older people to dental care professionals

Lina F. Weening-Verbree,
Annemarie A. Schuller,
Wim P. Krijnen,
Cees P. van der Schans,
Sytse U. Zuidema,
Johannes S. M. Hobbelen

Affiliations

Lina F. Weening-Verbree: ORCiD; Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing and FAITH Research, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands; Center for Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Annemarie A. Schuller: ORCiD; Center for Dentistry and Oral Hygiene, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; TNO the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
Wim P. Krijnen: ORCiD; Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing and FAITH Research, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands; Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Cees P. van der Schans: ORCiD; Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing and FAITH Research, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department Health Psychology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Sytse U. Zuidema: ORCiD; Department of Primary and Long-Term Care, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Johannes S. M. Hobbelen: ORCiD; Research Group Healthy Ageing, Allied Health Care and Nursing and FAITH Research, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Primary and Long-Term Care, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2340/aos.v83.42487
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 83, no. 1

Abstract

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Objectives: This study aims to explore the identification of older people in need of dental consultation, with a Simplified Oral Indicator (SOI) used by home care nurses (HCNs) and with the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI-NL) completed by older people themselves, compared with the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT-NL), performed by dental hygienists. Methods: The HCNs completed SOI based on their professional view, knowledge and experience; scores red/orange/green were given to older people for oral health and oral hygiene. Older people completed the GOHAI-NL and dental hygienists completed the OHAT-NL. Results: Data from 141 older people were analysed. Sensitivity and specificity of SOI –OHAT-NL were low (0.45 and 0.64, respectively); SOI scored only few older people as ‘red’, while only 11 older people did not need a dental referral according to the OHAT-NL. OHAT-NL and GOHAI-NL correlation was significant, but low (r = -0.226, p = 0.012). Conclusion: Simplified Oral Indicator is currently not sensitive enough to identify older people in need of dental consultation. Additional education to HCNs and/or adjusting SOI may be needed. The GOHAI-NL seems not useful in dental triage.

Published in Acta Odontologica Scandinavica

ISSN: 0001-6357 (Print); 1502-3850 (Online)
Publisher: Medical Journals Sweden
Country of publisher: Sweden
LCC subjects: Medicine: Dentistry
Website: https://medicaljournalssweden.se/actaodontologica

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