Factors influencing home health care providers' performance of oral health care for older people: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aim

To examine factors that affect the performance of oral health care (OHC) for older people receiving nursing care at home.

Background

Oral health is often neglected by health care providers caring for older people. Research shows that health care providers' provision of OHC may be influenced by various factors (barriers and facilitators). When this research was conducted, health care providers from home healthcare services (HHCS) and nursing homes were grouped together despite setting differences; therefore, this study focuses on the performance of OHC by home health care providers (HHCPs) as a single group.

Design

Explorative design with a qualitative approach.

Methods

The managers of four HHCS units recruited 17 HHCPs to participate in focus group interviews. One interview was conducted per unit, and there were four to five participants in each interview. The analysis of interviews was based on theoretical thematic analysis and the PRECEDE constructs in the PRECEDE–PROCEED model. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines were used in reporting this study.

Findings

The analysis resulted in two themes with predisposing factors (HHCPs' professional responsibilities, older people's attitude), five themes with enabling factors (knowledge and skills, older people/carer trust, available time, available equipment and collaboration with public dental service (PDS)), and two themes with reinforcing factors (routines and OHC focus on the workplace) that affect the provision of OHC. The factors were categorised as individual, organisational and collaboration factors.

Conclusions

In addition to individual factors found in previous studies, factors related to the organisation of services and communication between HHCPs and PDS seem to affect HHCPs' provision of OHC for adults receiving HHCS.

Implications for Practice

This study provides in-depth knowledge that can contribute to increasing HHCPs' provision of OHC and thereby prevent oral and dental disease among older people receiving HHCS.