Evaluating and exploring the knowledge, attitude and practices of support workers regarding oral health of persons with disabilities attending day centres

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this research was to investigate the General Oral Health Knowledge and Practices of Support Workers working with individuals with disabilities attending Day Centres run by Aġenzija Sapport. It also aims to examine their knowledge of Oral Health in relation to persons with disability. If a person with disability does not have a support worker with the knowledge and does not understand the potential risks of a poor oral hygiene, the individual’s oral health cannot be improved or taken care of properly (Waldron et al., 2019). Methodology: On gaining the ethical approval from the Dean of Faculty of Dental Surgery, the Faculty of Research Ethics Committee and from Aġenzija Sapport, consent forms and information letters were distributed to Support Workers at Aġenzija Sapport. Following the collection of the consent forms a hardcopy questionnaire was given to each interested participant working within Aġenzija Sapport. Through cross-sectional non-probability convenience sampling method, the support workers’ knowledge was challenged through this anonymous piloted questionnaire. Results: This study examined how demographic factors influence oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices among support workers in day centers. With 179 participants spanning ages 18 to over 61, diverse backgrounds were represented. Results reveal significant associations between age, educational level, role in the day center, and oral health perspectives. Younger participants (18-30) showed higher oral health knowledge (76.2% correctly identifying adult teeth count), while those with higher education levels understood dental hygiene better (78.2% believing in twice-daily brushing). Role differences in day centers impacted attitudes, with 68% noting clients receive oral health training. Work experience also shaped perceptions, as participants with 5-10 years' experience showed heightened awareness of medication impacts on oral health. Conclusion: The study reveals the importance of tailored interventions and training programs for support workers to address the diverse needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities, ultimately enhancing oral health care delivery for these individuals.