Murphree Kellie R, Campbell Patricia R, Gutmann Marylou E, Plichta Stacey B, Nunn Martha E, McCann Ann L, Gibson Gretchen
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0499, USA.
J Dent Educ. 2002 Nov;66(11):1274-80.
The elderly are the nation's fastest-growing population, and the number of elder abuse victims has reached epidemic proportions. In Texas, dentists and dental hygienists are mandated by law to report suspected abuse. This study surveyed Texas dental hygienists regarding elder abuse education received in dental hygiene school and post-graduation. Respondents were also asked to self-assess their knowledge level in recognizing the six types of elder abuse and to answer questions regarding Texas law and mandatory reporting of abuse. A survey designed for this study was mailed to 780 Texas licensed dental hygienists, representing 10 percent of the Texas dental hygiene population. Respondents were selected using a computer-generated random sample. A second mailing was sent to nonrespondents to prevent response bias. Results were analyzed using Statistical Programs for Social Scientists (SPSS). Over one-half of the respondents (56 percent) stated that abuse education was not part of their dental hygiene school curriculum. Only 46 percent of the respondents who replied that abuse education had been included in the curriculum were educated on elder abuse. A majority of respondents stated they lacked knowledge in recognizing the six types of elder abuse, and 81 percent of respondents reported being unknowledgeable about reporting elder abuse. The current status of elder abuse education in dental hygiene programs and post-graduation is insufficient. Dental hygienists have an obligation to become knowledgeable in recognizing and reporting elder abuse in order to provide complete care for their patients.
老年人是该国增长最快的人口群体，虐待老年人受害者的数量已达到流行程度。在得克萨斯州，法律规定牙医和口腔保健员必须报告疑似虐待情况。本研究对得克萨斯州的口腔保健员进行了调查，内容涉及他们在口腔卫生学校接受的虐待老年人教育以及毕业后的情况。受访者还被要求自我评估他们识别六种虐待老年人类型的知识水平，并回答有关得克萨斯州法律以及虐待情况强制报告的问题。为该研究设计的一份调查问卷被邮寄给780名得克萨斯州持牌口腔保健员，占得克萨斯州口腔卫生从业人员的10%。受访者是通过计算机生成的随机样本选取的。向未回复者发送了第二份邮件，以防止回复偏差。结果使用社会科学统计程序（SPSS）进行分析。超过一半的受访者（56%）表示虐待教育不是他们口腔卫生学校课程的一部分。在回复称课程中包含虐待教育的受访者中，只有46%接受过虐待老年人方面的教育。大多数受访者表示他们缺乏识别六种虐待老年人类型的知识，81%的受访者表示对报告虐待老年人情况不了解。口腔卫生项目及毕业后虐待老年人教育的现状并不充分。口腔保健员有义务了解如何识别和报告虐待老年人情况，以便为患者提供全面护理。
