Japan Dental Hygienists' Association, Tokyo 169-0071, Japan.
Research Team for Promoting Independence and Mental Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 18;18(6):3152. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18063152.
Oral health care by dental hygienists contributes to the maintenance of nutritional and general health for older people in nursing facilities. This study aimed to investigate daily tasks and willingness to work among dental hygienists working in nursing facilities in Japan. In 2019, using a self-administered questionnaire, a postal cross-sectional survey was conducted among members of the Japanese Dental Hygienists' Association. Questionnaires were distributed to all 16,722 Association members (responses, = 8932; return rate, 53.4%). We analysed data from 368 dental hygienists currently working in nursing facilities. Item response theory and correspondence analyses were performed. In total, >90% of dental hygienists undertook oral examinations and provided oral hygiene instructions to residents and facility staff. In contrast, the implementation rate of tasks related to interprofessional collaboration was relatively low (approximately 50%), and 72.6% of dental hygienists indicated that they wanted to continue working in nursing facilities. Their willingness to work was closely associated with work involving interprofessional collaboration. Our study findings showed that dental hygienists' work content in nursing facilities was diverse, but that there was variation in implemented tasks. Willingness to continue working in nursing facilities was associated with interprofessional collaboration among dental hygienists.
口腔保健师通过在护理机构中为老年人提供口腔保健服务，有助于维持他们的营养和整体健康。本研究旨在调查在日本护理机构工作的口腔保健师的日常工作任务和工作意愿。2019 年，研究人员采用自我管理式问卷，对日本口腔保健师协会的所有 16722 名成员进行了邮政横断面调查（应答者=8932；回复率=53.4%）。我们分析了目前在护理机构工作的 368 名口腔保健师的数据。我们进行了项目反应理论和对应分析。总的来说，超过 90%的口腔保健师对居民和设施工作人员进行口腔检查并提供口腔卫生指导。相比之下，与跨专业合作相关的任务实施率相对较低（约 50%），72.6%的口腔保健师表示希望继续在护理机构工作。他们的工作意愿与涉及跨专业合作的工作密切相关。我们的研究结果表明，护理机构中口腔保健师的工作内容多种多样，但实施的任务存在差异。继续在护理机构工作的意愿与口腔保健师之间的跨专业合作有关。
