Effect of a multichannel oral irrigator on periodontal health and the oral microbiome.

Oral biofilms or dental plaques are one of the major etiological factors for diverse oral diseases. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a multichannel oral irrigator (MCOI) on periodontal health in 29 participants randomly divided into two groups: the MCOI group and the control group. To evaluate the effect of the MCOI on periodontal health, the modified Quigley Hein Plaque Index (PI), Mühlemann-Son Sulcus Bleeding Index (SBI), bleeding on probing (BOP), and swelling were evaluated and compared before and after MCOI use for 3 days. Although PI and SBI showed statistically significant increases in the control group, the MCOI group showed no significant changes in either parameter. Moreover, the percentage of BOP was significantly lower in the MCOI group. Saliva samples were analyzed by 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing to investigate changes in the oral microbiome. Sequencing results showed that Porphyromonas spp. were significantly increased in the control group, whereas no significant change was detected in the MCOI group. Using the MCOI, enriched populations and functional pathways were detected in pioneer species comprising non-mutans streptococci. These findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of the MCOI in maintaining periodontal health and a healthy microbial ecology in the oral cavity.

"You Have to Keep in Mind That You're Dealing with People's Lives": How Hospital Service Workers Enact an Ethic of Care.

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the need to examine the health and safety of all workers, especially frontline workers, like hospital service workers (HSWs). Given ongoing pandemic-related challenges like healthcare labor shortages, attention to HSWs is essential. This paper draws from 3 waves of in-depth interviews conducted with HSWs from 2017 to 2020 to understand the evolving nature and challenges of their work from their perspectives. By analyzing the interviews, we found their approach to labor consistent with a feminist ethic of care. The ethic of care framework understands care as a public responsibility necessary for a functioning society. Workers perceived the ethic of care to be consistently violated by their employer, which contributed to poor working conditions, threatening the well-being of workers and patients alike. Drawing from workers' experiences and insights, the ethic of care framework can inform organizational changes to improve both occupational health and patient care.

Barriers and facilitators of assistive technology service delivery process (AT-SDP) in South Korea.

PURPOSE: To describe the barriers and facilitators of the assistive technology service delivery process (AT-SDP), based on the perspectives of assistive technology service professionals (ATPs) and assistive technology (AT) service users. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with nine AT users and eight ATPs in South Korea. The data were analyzed using a constant comparative approach based on the grounded theory. RESULTS: AT users and ATPs identified common barriers in the assessment, matching, and implementation of the AT-SDP. In the assessment process, the preparation of detailed selection criteria was suggested for assistive technology devices (ATDs). Insufficient linkages on assessments among institutions providing AT services was a reported barrier, and standardized evaluation tools were suggested to address this issue. In the matching process, to meet users' needs, versatility in the characteristics or type of ATD was highlighted. In the implementation process, participants emphasized the need to shorten the time required during the delivery process. Along with these facilitators, institutional support, including staffing securement, the establishment of AT centres, and funding policies were recommended to facilitate the AT-SDP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the importance of government support and considering realistic funding levels to overcome the barriers reported by AT users and ATPs.

It is important to consider comprehensively the perspectives of assistive technology service (AT) users and assistive technology service professionals (ATPs) to improve assistive technology service delivery process (AT-SDP).ATP must standardize assessment or evaluation tools to execute the AT-SDP identically. Additionally, they need to establish a role for ATP in an interdisciplinary approach.Institutional support, including staffing securement, the establishment of AT centres, and funding policies are needed to facilitate the rapid delivery process and meet AT users' needs.Further research should report barriers and facilitators for AT-SDP through mixed methods of study and investigate targeting AT users from other institutions as well as AT centres.

Material Hardships, Perceived Stress, and Health among Low-Wage Hospital Workers.

Many service, clerical, and technical hospital workers deemed essential during the pandemic have wages that do not reflect the essential nature of their work and do not earn enough income to cover basic expenses. Thus, many experience material hardships related to food, housing, and medical care. Previous studies have shown strong relationships between material hardships and health; however, they do not fully explain the role of stress as an intervening mechanism. This cross-sectional study analyzes an online survey with 257 lower-wage hospital workers to examine the relationships between hardships and health, and how perceived stress mediates these relationships. Path analysis revealed that financial and food hardships were related to mental health through perceived stress, while medical hardship was directly associated with physical health. These findings add to the evidence that workers' hardships either directly or indirectly contribute to negative mental and physical health outcomes through perceived stress. Future investigations should further examine relationships among material hardships, stress, and health, and advocacy efforts should focus on raising wages for essential hospital workers.