Validating an Assessment Tool for Oral Health and Oral Care Procedures Performed by Healthcare Workers for Older Residents in Long-Term Care Institutions

Abstract

Poor oral health is a growing concern among older populations. It is often caused by a failure to maintain proper oral hygiene and inaccessible dental care. Poor oral health in older individuals in long-term care institutions (LTCIs) can be attributed to the fact that healthcare workers might be poorly trained in oral care assessment and practice. To address this issue, an assessment tool has been developed and validated to guide and evaluate healthcare workers’ oral care practices, ensuring the delivery of adequate care and early detection of dental diseases in LTCIs. The tool includes an oral health assessment and an assessment of oral care procedures. It was developed following a robust literature review, two stages of expert reviews, content validity checks, and a pilot study. A total of twenty-three items were developed and validated, with seven items related to oral health assessment and sixteen related to oral care procedures. The items were assessed for content validity and relevance, with high values of 1 obtained for all Item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI), Scale-level Content Validity Index (S-CVI), and S-CVI/Universal Agreement (UA) scores. This indicates a high level of agreement among the experts (n = 12) regarding the relevance and importance of the items. A pilot study involving 20 nursing students confirmed the tool’s reliability, applicability, and feasibility, demonstrating its high appropriateness and applicability. The newly developed and validated assessment tool can effectively guide and evaluate healthcare workers’ oral care practices, enhancing their competence and improving the oral health of older residents.