MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two primary caregivers were interviewed via audio-recorded semistructured focus group discussions to investigate their perceived barriers and challenges in caring for IWSNs. The qualitative data were then analyzed via thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Thirty-two participants took part in a total of nine discussion sessions, where the majority were females (n = 29; 90.63%) and from the Malay race (n = 30; 93.75%). Most of the IWSNs under their care had autism (n = 11; 34.38%) and were between 6 and 10 years of age (n = 13; 40.63%). The main themes identified were related to healthcare services, support systems, caregivers' personal factors, and IWSN issues. Within the healthcare services domain, themes regarding the accessibility and appropriateness of healthcare facilities and the attitudes of staff were uncovered, whereas in the support system domain, themes pertaining to community and peer, family, and governmental support were discussed. In the domain of caregivers' personal factors, themes regarding stress with the burden of care and feelings of guilt were noted, and in the area of IWSN factors, the theme of behavioral difficulties exhibited by IWSNs was discussed.
CONCLUSION: Primary caregivers in Malaysia face challenges with healthcare facilities and staff, gaining support from the community, family, and government, burning out, and feeling guilty as well as behavior issues of their IWSN. Thus, understanding these challenges is vital in providing healthcare services that cater to not only IWSNs but also their caregivers to ensure the success and well-being of all involved.
Aims: This study investigated the impact of an extramural program involving PWD on dental students' professionalism and students' perception of training in managing patients with special needs.
Materials and Methods: A group of 165 undergraduate dental students (year 1 to year 5) participated in a voluntary program, involving 124 visually impaired children, at a special education school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A dedicated module in oral health was developed by specialists in special care dentistry, pedodontics, and medical sciences. Dental students then participated in a semi-structured focus group interview survey to discuss perceptions of their learning experiences. Qualitative data were analyzed via thematic analysis.
Results: The program had positive impact on various aspects categorized into four major domains: professional knowledge (e.g., understanding of oral-systemic-social-environmental health interaction and understanding of disability), professional skills (e.g., communication and organizational skills), professional behavior (e.g., empathy and teamwork), and value-added learning (e.g., photography and information technology skills). Students showed improved willingness to manage, and comfort in managing PWD, and expressed support for future educational programs involving this patient cohort.
Conclusion: Improved knowledge, skills, attitudes, and personal values, as well as support for future programs, indicate the positive impact of extramural educational activities involving PWD in developing professionalism in patient care, while providing an opportunity for students to be exposed to managing patients with special needs.
METHODOLOGY: A paper-based survey was conducted, classroom-style, on all dental students (Year 1 to Year 5, n = 336, response rate = 84.5%) using a validated questionnaire, developed from previous literature. For each BG technique, students used a visual analogue scale to mark their acceptability score; this figure was later categorised into different acceptance levels. Students' mean acceptability scores and acceptance of each BG technique were consecutively analysed via independent t test and chi-square test (significance level, P 0.01). Percentages of those who accepted communicative techniques involving parents demonstrated significant differences across subjects of different academic years, between pre-clinical and clinical groups of respondents and amongst clinical students. Other techniques with such significant differences, along with low acceptance, included modelling, voice control and disallowing the child to speak.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this study provide useful information for curricular enhancement aimed at equipping dental students with the ability to apply appropriate and effective BG techniques during patient care.
METHODS AND RESULTS: The cross-cultural adaptation was tested in mothers with children aged 5-12 years old who have hearing loss. The validity and reliability of the online questionnaire were measured among 31 mothers of children with hearing loss in communities and Special School for Children with Hearing Loss in several regions in Indonesia. All indicators of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control (PBC) on mothers' behavior towards children's attendance was valid (p
MATERIALS AND METHODS: All Australian institutions offering DH/DT/OHT programmes (n = 14) were invited to participate in a self-administered questionnaire survey, conducted online, involving students across all academic years. Twelve institutions agreed to participate, but only five institutions were included in the final analysis, with a student response rate of 31.1%. Answers to open-ended questions were coded and grouped for measurement of frequencies. Quantitative data were analysed via chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests (significance taken as P
METHODS: A questionnaire was developed based on the Dental Student Attitude to the Handicapped Scale, Scale of Attitudes to the Disabled Persons and Health Action Process Approach. The self-administered, validated questionnaire was tested for reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .71-.81), before being distributed to clinical dental students of both genders from two universities (University A, n = 176 and University B, n = 175). Quantitative data were analysed via t test and ANOVA (p
AIM: This study aimed at exploring the correlates of dental visits of children with hearing loss (CWHL) in Indonesia using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB).
DESIGN: This cross-sectional study involved purposive sampling methods, conducted via an online survey administered to mothers of CWHL who were aged 5-12 years. Constructs of the TPB model were collected, including the mother's attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behaviour control (PBC) and intention towards dental visits for CWHL. Dental visits were measured by asking whether their children had a dental visit within the last 12 months. Data were analysed using SPSS for descriptive and bivariate analyses. The significance level was set as p .05). Intention did not significantly predict the mother's behaviour towards children's dental visits (p > .05).
CONCLUSION: The TPB model revealed a construct associated with dental visit intention and behaviour in CWHL. This study suggested that effective promotion intervention should focus on the mother's PBC to increase parents' adherence to preventive dental visits in CWHL in Indonesia.
METHODS: An extensive literature review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis method. This study systematically searched electronic databases (PubMed via Medline, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar) using expert-validated keywords, complemented by manual searches, to identify relevant articles published between April 1, 2012, and September 30, 2022.
RESULT: PICOS criteria were formulated for study inclusion. The bibliographical search identified 1485 articles, which were subsequently filtered. Two researchers separately screened the articles for eligibility and to reduce the risk of bias in the included studies. Finally, the most pertinent 21 articles were scrutinized for data synthesis.
CONCLUSION: Most studies identified combination methods, including customized educational demonstrations, as the best at improving OH status, knowledge, and practices. However, long-term, rigorously designed, and effective patient-centered communication trials, including those on innovative methods, are still needed for individuals with VI.
OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study investigated the perceptions of CBR managers regarding the level of training in oral health care received by CBR workers, the current oral health care program for PWDs, and the barriers and enablers in providing oral health education, care, and services for PWDs in CBR centres.
METHODS: A semi-structured interview questionnaire and face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted with CBR managers (n = 9) from 9 districts in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Malaysia, to seek their views on the focus topics. Audiorecorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, and transcripts were analysed in MAXQDA software. Qualitative data were analysed via thematic analysis.
RESULTS: Interview content analysis revealed 4 themes, 11 subthemes, and 13 codes. The 4 identified themes were oral health care education and training for CBR workers, oral health care programs and protocol for CBR trainees (PWDs), barriers and enablers to care.
CONCLUSION: In all CBR centres, CBR workers and PWDs receive an oral health presentation, training in oral health care, and are provided with treatment by a dentist assigned by the Ministry of Health. No specific programs, training or special courses were provided by the Department of Social Welfare. Several personal, professional, and social factors were identified as affecting the provision of oral health care to the PWDs.