3
Educare

Educare

JULIO 2012 N° 7 Volumen 10

Impact of oral health on quality of life of elderly and mentally ill patients

Section: LEARNING TO TEACH

How to quote

Barrera Mena Y, Ciria Acuña M, Ferrer Pérez M, Ciria Acuña N, Mena Martínez JA. Repercusión de la higiene bucal en la calidad de vida de pacientes geriátricos y enfermos mentales. Educare21 2012; 10(7). [En línea] [fecha de acceso: 1 de junio de 2012]. URL disponible en: http://www.enfermeria21.com/publicaciones/educare/

Authors

Yordanka Barrera Mena, Merlinda Ciria Acuña, María Ferrer Pérez, Niovis Ciria Acuña, José Antonio Mena Martínez

Position

Licenciada/o en Enfermería. Profesor/a instructor/a de la Facultad de Enfermería, Cuba.

Contact email: niny98@banes.hlg.sld.cu

Abstract

The geriatric mental patients have a high prevalence of oral health problems, justified by the presence of factors known as: the use of psychotropic drugs, smoking and lack of higine, among others. In particular, this paper addresses the neglected oral hygiene in these patients. A study of educational intervention to modify the knowledge on oral hygiene habits in geriatric mental patients from the Psychiatric Hospital "El Viso" in the period from February to December 2011 in the municipality of Santiago de Cuba. The universe was composed of 26 elderly people, representing the totality of institutionalized patients in the rehabilitation service for men. The variables studied were: oral hygiene, risk factors that influence the oral hygiene, tooth brushing, tooth brushing frequency, and level of knowledge on oral hygiene. They went though a structured interview about the research subject, before and after training and a set of participatory activities was developed: group techniques and learning games to guarantee proactive and interactive participation of patients in the oral hygiene, habits reinstatement and modification of knowledge about these. The study revealed that most of them had lost the evaluated oral hygiene habits, however, the educational intervention used was able to reinstate them, so that the educational activity was timely and effective, which indicates that this mechanism provides excellent results.

Keywords:

geriatric; mental patients; oral habit; oral hygienetoothbrushing

Versión en Español

Título:

Repercusión de la higiene bucal en la calidad de vida de pacientes geriátricos y enfermos mentales