Singh Swarnim, Gupta Rekha, Gill Shubhra, Naaz Zeba, Longdo Meshi, Pathak Aarzoo, Kusuma Jeldi
Department of Prosthodontics, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi, IND.
Cureus. 2024 Aug 20;16(8):e67297. doi: 10.7759/cureus.67297. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Introduction Geriatric dentistry concerns the influence of aging and systemic disorders on oral health. Every dental practitioner must comprehensively understand the oral health conditions affecting geriatric patients and the physiological, psychological, and social aspects of aging to deliver holistic care. Methods A cross-sectional survey was undertaken among postgraduate students, interns, and undergraduates in dental colleges across the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR), India. This survey employed a self-administered questionnaire to gauge the attitude of undergraduate and postgraduate students towards elderly patients. Results The study included 312 participants with a mean age of 24.95 years (±2.95 years). The distribution of participants by educational level: Intern: 25.3% (n=79), postgraduate (PG)-1 Year: 16.7% (n=52), PG-2 Year: 9.0% (n=28), PG-3 Year: 9.9% (n=31), undergraduate (UG)-3 Year: 19.2% (n=60), UG-4 Year: 19.9% (n=62). Most respondents strongly agreed on the necessity of being more empathetic and attentive when treating geriatric patients. Similarly, the majority strongly concurred on the differences in treatment and communication required for geriatric patients, underscoring the need for specialized training. Significant differences were observed between undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students regarding their confidence in treating geriatric patients, their understanding of geriatric patients' expectations, and their willingness to treat geriatric patients in their future practice, with PG students agreeing on all these aspects. Conclusion Overall, most participants showed a favorable attitude towards elderly patients. However, postgraduates demonstrated a deeper comprehension of the needs of geriatric patients and exhibited greater confidence in their ability to treat them both presently and in future practices. Despite this, there was a recognized need for specialized training. Consequently, there is a call for increased workshops and training sessions focused on geriatric patients.
引言 老年牙科学关注衰老和全身疾病对口腔健康的影响。每位牙科从业者都必须全面了解影响老年患者的口腔健康状况以及衰老的生理、心理和社会方面，以便提供全面的护理。方法 对印度德里国家首都辖区（NCR）各牙科学院的研究生、实习生和本科生进行了一项横断面调查。本调查采用自填式问卷来评估本科生和研究生对老年患者的态度。结果 该研究包括312名参与者，平均年龄为24.95岁（±2.95岁）。参与者按教育水平分布如下：实习生：25.3%（n = 79），研究生（PG）一年级：16.7%（n = 52），PG二年级：9.0%（n = 28），PG三年级：9.9%（n = 31），本科三年级：19.2%（n = 60），本科四年级：19.9%（n = 62）。大多数受访者强烈同意在治疗老年患者时更具同理心和关注度的必要性。同样，大多数人也强烈认同老年患者在治疗和沟通方面需要差异对待，强调了接受专业培训的必要性。在治疗老年患者的信心、对老年患者期望的理解以及未来实践中治疗老年患者的意愿方面，本科生（UG）和研究生（PG）之间存在显著差异，研究生在所有这些方面都表示认同。结论 总体而言，大多数参与者对老年患者持积极态度。然而，研究生对老年患者的需求有更深入的理解，并且在当前和未来实践中治疗老年患者的能力方面表现出更大的信心。尽管如此，大家都认识到需要专业培训。因此，呼吁增加针对老年患者的研讨会和培训课程。
