IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i21p8088-d439111.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Factors Associated with Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Oral Care Among the Elderly in Hong Kong Community

Author

Listed:
  • Florence M.F. Wong

    (School of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, China)

Abstract

Background: The oral health of elderly populations is a significant concern, as it is closely linked to general health and health-related quality of life. Poor oral health exacerbates oral diseases, leading to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases and self-care dependence, particularly in the elderly, worldwide. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) play influential roles in individual oral care. However, the evidence of KAP related to oral care among the elderly is still inadequate. Objective: This study aimed to examine KAP and their associated factors related to oral care among the elderly community. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used. The eligible subjects were recruited, using convenience sampling and snowball sampling. Results: A total of 385 elderly individuals were included, and 51.4% were women. The mean age was 71.66 (SD 6.28). Knowledge was reportedly poor, as more than 50% elderly answered several questions incorrectly. The mean attitude and practices scores were 44.94 (SD 6.33) and 68.90 (SD 10.44), respectively. There was a significant correlation among knowledge, attitudes, and practices ( p < 0.001). Multivariable regression analysis revealed numerous factors had remarkably significant association with knowledge [R 2 = 0.30, F (4,380) = 11.96, p < 0.001], attitudes [R 2 = 0.28, F (6,378) = 9.27, p < 0.001], and practices [R 2 = 0.31, F (5,379) = 12.34, p < 0.001], particularly education levels, full-time employment, and self-care independence. Conclusions: Based on the KAP theoretical model, KAP are closely interrelated. Identified factors associated with KAP are useful to understand at-risk groups. Elderly individuals at lower education levels, with poor family support and inadequate self-care independence, have poor KAP related to oral care. Therefore, this study improves insight for health promotion developers, suggesting that more attention should be paid to at-risk elderly groups’ oral health. To enhance participation in dental care and improve oral care performance in the elderly, educational program containing oral health knowledge should be offered to at-risk groups. Family support and involvement are also important for improving oral care among elderly individuals.

Suggested Citation

  • Florence M.F. Wong, 2020. "Factors Associated with Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Oral Care Among the Elderly in Hong Kong Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:8088-:d:439111
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8088/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/21/8088/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Florence M. F. Wong & Yannies T. Y. Ng & W. Keung Leung, 2019. "Oral Health and Its Associated Factors Among Older Institutionalized Residents—A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-29, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jessica Persson & Ann Svensson & Ingela Grönbeck Lindén & Sven Kylén & Catharina Hägglin, 2022. "Aspects of Expansive Learning in the Context of Healthy Ageing—A Formative Intervention between Dental Care and Municipal Healthcare," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Jonas Czwikla & Alexandra Herzberg & Sonja Kapp & Stephan Kloep & Heinz Rothgang & Ina Nitschke & Cornelius Haffner & Falk Hoffmann, 2021. "Effectiveness of a Dental Intervention to Improve Oral Health among Home Care Recipients: A Randomized Controlled Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-13, September.
    3. Johana Alejandra Moreno-Drada & Alex Junio Silva da Cruz & Matheus Luis Soares de Faria & Luís Otávio Miranda Cota & Maria Auxiliadora Parreiras Martins & Isabela Almeida Pordeus & Mauro Henrique Nogu, 2021. "Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Anticoagulated Patients with Warfarin Treatment: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-12, April.
    4. Rocío Trinidad Velázquez-Cayón & Ana Isabel Contreras-Madrid & Susell Parra-Rojas & David Pérez-Jorge, 2022. "Oral Health and Pathologies in Migrants and Vulnerable Population and Their Social Impact: The Good Practices of the Intervention Model of a University Dental Clinic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Ove Spreckelsen & Guido Schmiemann & Alexander Maximilian Fassmer & Bettina Engel & Falk Hoffmann & Michael Hermann Freitag, 2020. "How Do German General Practitioners Assess Medical Specialist Care Needs of Nursing Home Residents? Results of a Postal Survey in North-Western Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-10, September.
    6. Florence M. F. Wong, 2021. "First Data in the Process of Validating a Tool to Evaluate Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Healthcare Providers in Oral Care of Institutionalized Elderly Residents: Content Validity, Reliability ," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-15, April.
    7. Daria Madunic & Lidia Gavic & Ivan Kovacic & Neven Vidovic & Jasen Vladislavic & Antonija Tadin, 2021. "Dentists’ Opinions in Providing Oral Healthcare to Elderly People: A Questionnaire-Based Online Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
    8. Kanako Yamawaki & Takahiro Mori & Sakiko Itaki & Azusa Haruta & Chiho Takeda & Aya Hiraoka & Mariko Maruyama & Mineka Yoshikawa & Mitsuyoshi Yoshida & Kazuhiro Tsuga, 2022. "Relationship between Food Crushing and Oral Function in Older Adults Requiring Nursing Home Care: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-11, March.
    9. Bothaina Hussein Hassan & Maha Mohammed Abd El Moniem & Shaimaa Samir Dawood & Abdulrahman Abdulhadi Alsultan & Amal Ismael Abdelhafez & Nancy Mahmoud Elsakhy, 2022. "Dental Anxiety and Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life among Rural Community-Dwelling Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-13, June.
    10. Piotr Michalak & Paulina Polak-Szlósarczyk & Wioletta Dyduch-Dudek & Barbara Kęsek & Elżbieta Zarzecka-Francica & Maria Styrna & Łukasz Czekaj & Joanna Zarzecka, 2022. "Oral and Mucosal Complaints among Institutionalized Care Seniors in Malopolska Voivodeship—The Utility of the Mirror Sliding Test in an Assessment of Dry Mouth," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-15, October.
    11. Kanako Noritake & Katsuo Oshima & Hideki Fukuda & Rumi Tano & Akiko Oshiro & Hiroshi Nitta & Hiroko Miura, 2022. "Factors Affecting the Career Continuation of Newly Graduated and Reinstated Dental Hygienists Who Participated in a Technical Training Program in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-10, October.
    12. Sara Lopes & Vitor Tavares & Paulo Mascarenhas & Marta Lopes & Carolina Cardote & Catarina Godinho & Cátia Oliveira & Carla Adriana Santos & Madalena Oom & José Grillo-Evangelista & Jorge Fonseca, 2022. "Oral Health Status of Adult Dysphagic Patients That Undergo Endoscopic Gastrostomy for Long Term Enteral Feeding," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-13, April.
    13. Lisa Bellander & Pia Andersson & Helle Wijk & Catharina Hägglin, 2021. "Oral Assessment and Preventive Actions within the Swedish Quality Register Senior Alert: Impact on Frail Older Adults’ Oral Health in a Longitudinal Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Le Yang & Dan Guo & Jiaming Zheng & Yuting Guo & Zeyuan Li, 2023. "Association between Social Participation and Remaining Teeth and Urban–Rural Difference among Older Adults in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-10, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:8088-:d:439111. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.