Development and Validity Evaluation of Oral Care Protocols used by Caregivers for Elderly People in Facilities

Hyun-Sun  Jeon1   Yong-Keum  Choi 2   

1Department of Dental Hygiene, Yeoju Institute of Technology, Yeoju, 12652, Korea
2Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Health Science and Genome-based BioIT Convergence Institute, Sun Moon University, Asan, 31460, Korea

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to develop an evidence-based oral care protocol that caregivers working at elderly facilities can use for proper oral care of the elderly admitted to the long-term care facilities. Methods: An oral care protocol was developed, and five experts of oral care and facility care each participated in a validity test. The validity test sheet indicated the validity test, performance, and the possibility of applying the protocol to all procedures. Results: The content validity of the 1st to 12th steps of the protocol showed a high validity (4.0) or higher for both geriatric facility experts and oral care experts. Besides, in the elderly facility group, the validity (CVI) of whether to perform each stage was relatively low (0.8) in the first stage (product preparation). Conclusions: The validity of the oral care protocol that caregivers in elderly facilities can use was high, and the study subjects confirmed the recognition of the necessity, utility, and usefulness of the developed protocol.

Figures & Tables

Figure 1. Research process for developing protocols caregiver can use for the elderly in facilities