Evaluation of a dental health education program for midwives

WOS: 000186988900008PubMed ID: 14682651Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a dental health program for the midwives in primary health care services in Izmir, Turkey. Methods: One hundred sixty-four midwives participated in the pilot project. The program was evaluated by quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative method assessed the improvement of the dental knowledge level, whereas the qualitative method was conducted to determine the assessments of the participants. Results: The percentages of correct responses given to knowledge items were higher after the program. The midwives defined their role as an important first step for dental services. Education atmosphere was the best characteristic of the program, whereas lack of a written document was an important limitation. Conclusion: Despite some limitations, the program was an effective way of improving the oral health knowledge of the midwives and their motivation for dental services

Disconnecting the DOTS: misconceptions about the therapeutic paradigm of tuberculosis patients at family healthcare centers in Istanbul

Purpose There has been a major transformation in the Turkish healthcare system since 2003. The new paradigm introduced the family medicine model, which profoundly changed the structure of primary healthcare access and delivery. In the context of tuberculosis (TB) control, it led to transferring the responsibility for directly observed therapy (DOT) from anti-TB clinics to family healthcare centers. This change entailed daily interaction of the health staff of family healthcare centers with TB patients who had been treated solely in anti-TB clinics under the vertical system since the 1940s. These encounters resulted in erroneous DOT practices and inappropriate treatment of TB patients. In this study, we attempt to question the ways in which TB control has so far been and will possibly be affected by this change

Midwives' perspectives of their ability to promote the oral health of pregnant women in Victoria, Australia

Background: Midwives have a potential role in promoting the oral health of pregnant women although they have little formal training in this area. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of midwives in Victoria towards incorporating oral health promotion into their antenatal practice after undergoing training through the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health (MIOH) online education program. Methods: A purposive sample of thirty-nine midwives from maternity services across Victoria, Australia were invited to participate in an online MIOH education program in October 2012. The program included three self-paced modules covering oral health screening, referral processes, and theoretical and practical skill assessments. A mixed methods design was used to capture midwives perspectives. Evaluation questionnaires, completed pre- and post-training, captured knowledge and confidence (confidence likert scale), and also included five opened-ended questions post-training. Open-ended questions, feedback forms and unsolicited emails formed the data for qualitative analysis. Data were analysed using content and thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Results: Thirty-three midwives completed the MIOH education program and demonstrated a significant increase (51.5%) in their confidence to promote oral health. All participants viewed the program as suitable, acceptable and useful for their practice and were happy to recommend the course to other Victorian midwives. Participants indicated that it would be feasible to incorporate oral health into the first antenatal booking visit and recognised that oral health promotion was within their scope of practice. Conclusions: This study has shown that the MIOH education program is a valued resource that can assist midwives to increase their confidence and skills to incorporate oral health promotion into their practice. A key barrier identified was time constraints during antenatal care booking visits. However, it is evident that with relevant training it would be feasible and acceptable for Victorian midwives to incorporate oral health promotion within their practice. The current engagement with midwives in Victoria and other parts of Australia provides an opportunity to continue to explore and define the role of antenatal health care professionals in oral health promotion at a state and national level