Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom.
Now affiliated with the Department of Orthodontics, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.
Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther. 2023 Jul-Dec;21(9):643-649. doi: 10.1080/14779072.2023.2254679. Epub 2023 Sep 4.
To increase the detection of unknown atrial fibrillation (AF), general practitioners have started screening their patients using small hand-held devices. It is thought that dental settings could be utilized for screening as they have regular access to patients. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of dental staff of screening for AF using a hand-held electronic device in primary dental care.
The research took place in one large mixed NHS and private general dental practice. Views from staff including dentists, dental therapists, dental nurses, and managers were elicited via semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Interviews continued until there were no new themes or patterns emerging from the data, and thematic saturation had been achieved.
Eleven participants were interviewed. The main themes generated were methodology for screening, acceptability for screening within the practice, attitudes to screening, and implementation of screening. Overall, participants were positive about implementing AF screening in a dental practice but expressed concerns about time and remuneration. Staff also gave encouraging feedback regarding the simplicity of the portable screening device.
Participants felt that AF screening in primary care dental practices was a good concept but may be challenging to implement in NHS Dentistry, especially due to the pandemic.
为了提高对未知心房颤动（AF）的检测率，全科医生开始使用小型手持设备对患者进行筛查。人们认为，由于牙科诊所有规律地接触到患者，因此可以利用牙科环境进行筛查。本研究旨在探讨牙科医务人员对手持电子设备在初级牙科护理中进行 AF 筛查的看法。
该研究在一家大型混合的 NHS 和私人普通牙科诊所进行。通过面对面进行的半结构化访谈、录音和逐字转录，从牙医、牙科治疗师、牙科护士和管理人员等工作人员那里获取了意见。访谈一直持续到数据中没有新的主题或模式出现，并且达到了主题饱和。
共对 11 名参与者进行了访谈。产生的主要主题是筛查方法、在实践中筛查的可接受性、对筛查的态度以及筛查的实施。总体而言，参与者对在牙科诊所实施 AF 筛查持积极态度，但对时间和薪酬表示担忧。工作人员还对便携式筛查设备的简单性给予了积极的反馈。
参与者认为在初级保健牙科实践中进行 AF 筛查是一个很好的概念，但在 NHS 牙科中实施可能具有挑战性，尤其是在疫情期间。
