Family Caregivers Helping with Oral Hygiene in Chinese American Communities
Author Information
Author(s): Mao Weiyu, Wu Bei, Pei Yaolin
Hypothesis
The study explores the association between caregiving characteristics, care recipients’ oral health needs, and assistance in oral hygiene care among caregivers in Chinese American communities.
Conclusion
Female caregivers are more likely to assist with toothbrushing, while care recipients with tooth pain are significantly more likely to receive assistance.
Supporting Evidence
- Female caregivers tended to assist with toothbrushing.
- Caregivers with an average of 2.4 years of experience were more likely to assist with flossing.
- Care recipients with tooth pain were 5.6 times more likely to receive assistance with toothbrushing.
- Care recipients with more natural teeth were 1.1 times more likely to receive assistance with toothbrushing.
- Care recipients with severe dementia were 98% less likely to receive assistance with flossing.
Takeaway
This study shows that family members who take care of people with dementia often help them keep their teeth clean, especially if the person has tooth pain.
Methodology
Data was collected from a pilot study using purposive sampling to recruit family caregivers for a survey.
Participant Demographics
Caregivers from Chinese American communities in New York City.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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