The application of pen-based computer technology to home health care.

The purpose of this project was to study the applicability of pen-based computer technology to home health care through the development of a pen-based computer system for a Hospital/Community-Patient Review Instrument (H/C-PRI) used for nursing home placement. The sample included nurses (n = 12) from the four regional Visiting Nurse Service of New York offices, as well as all patients on whom a H/C-PRI was completed during the pre-period (n = 238) and patients on whom a H/C-PRI was completed during the post-period (n = 238). The quality of documentation was higher for patients whose H/C-PRI was performed using the pen-based computer (0% calculation errors) than for those patients whose H/C-PRI was documented in the usual manner (11% calculation errors).

Relationships of personality traits and stress to gingival status or soft-tissue oral pathology: an exploratory study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of personality traits and stress with gingival inflammation and with soft-tissue oral pathology. METHODS: Personality traits of psychoticism (P), extroversion and introversion (E), and neuroticism (N) were measured with Eysenck's personality questionnaire (EPQ). Stress was measured with a modified organizational and individual assessment survey (OIAS) developed by Hendrix. Military recruits from Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, were examined for soft-tissue oral pathology and gingival status at weeks one (n = 241) and six (n = 61) of basic combat training (BCT). The EPQ and OIAS were administered to 217 recruits during week six of BCT. A discriminant analysis was used to determine correlations among study variables. RESULTS: Significant correlations (P < .05) were found between personality traits and various measures of tolerance of stress. Little variance was found between groups originally presenting with or without disease. Only physical stress (P < .005) was shown to affect soft-tissue pathology, while gingival inflammation correlated significantly to E scores (P < .02), tolerance to change (P < .02), and anxiety (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Data support a possible relationship among certain personality traits, stress variables, and gingival inflammation or soft-tissue pathology in recruits with extreme personality characteristics or perception of high physical stress levels in basic combat training.

Out-of-office dentistry: an alternative delivery system.

Access to care continues to be a barrier in meeting the dental needs of a growing elderly population as well as other special patient care groups. One nontraditional delivery system reported and used by some practitioners is the mobile dental clinic. A dual purpose written survey was designed to: collect descriptive information about the operation of mobile and portable dental clinics and examine the attitudes and beliefs of dentists practicing out-of-office dentistry. This survey showed out-of-office dental clinics deliver dental services to a variety of patient populations. Portable dental clinics appear to be suited for care delivery to nursing home patients. There also appears to be a significant correlation between portable clinics and the delivery of denture service (P less than .05).

Oral health care attitudes of nursing assistants in long-term care facilities.

This study compares the oral health attitudes of nursing assistants employed in facilities served by mobile dental units, with attitudes of nursing assistants employed in facilities that are not served by mobile dental units. Seventy-seven nursing assistants were selected from seven long-term care facilities. Mobile dental service was available in four of the seven facilities. Certified nursing assistants completed a three part questionnaire that included demographics, personal oral health care habits, and an attitudinal section based on Kegeles' health belief model, measured by a Likert-type scale. Demographically, a majority of assistants in each group were female, worked the first shift, and had worked at their respective facilities from 6-12 months. On the average, assistants who worked at facilities that were not served by a mobile dental unit had more years of postsecondary education. Both groups had similar in-service dental histories for the previous year. A greater number of nursing assistants at facilities that were not served by a mobile dental unit reported having dental checkups within the past year. The majority of assistants in each group brushed their teeth twice per day, used a medium or hard toothbrush, and did not floss. Attitudinal mean scores were similar in all the areas of the health belief model, with the exception that assistants who were not served by a dental unit showed a greater mean score for the area of susceptibility. Through use of the t-test, the area of susceptibility was found to be statistically significant (P = .05) between the two groups. Results suggest nursing assistants' exposure to mobile dental services may not strongly influence oral health attitudes.