Effective group behavioral intervention for older periodontal patients

• Published in: Journal of periodontal research Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 315 - 325
• Main Authors: Little, S. J., Hollis, J. F., Stevens, V. J., Mount, K., Mullooly, J. P., Johnson, B. D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.1997; Blackwell
• Subjects: Aged; Analysis of Variance; behavior change; Behavior Therapy - methods; Biological and medical sciences; Chi-Square Distribution; Dental Care for Aged - methods; Dental Care for Aged - psychology; Dental Plaque - prevention & control; Dentistry; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Female; group intervention; Health Education, Dental - methods; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases; Oral Hygiene - education; Oral Hygiene - psychology; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Periodontal Diseases - prevention & control; Periodontal Index; periodontal maintenance; plaque control; Psychotherapy, Group - methods; Treatment Outcome; Human; Prevention; Modification; Periodontal disease; Treatment; Stomatology; Parodontium; Adult; Clinical trial; Behavior; Hygiene
• ISSN: 0022-3484; 1600-0765
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1997.tb00540.x

A randomized clinical trial assessed the effect of a group‐based behavior modification intervention on oral hygiene skills, adherence and clinical outcomes for older periodontal patients. Subjects (n=107) were aged 50–70 yr with moderate periodontal disease. They were randomly assigned to usual care or intervention. Intervention consisted of 5 weekly, 90‐min sessions that included skill training, self‐monitoring, weekly feedback about bleeding points and group support focused on long‐term habit change. Four‐month follow‐up indicated significant improvements in the intervention versus the usual periodontal maintenance group for oral hygiene skills and self‐reported flossing (p<0.00l), plaque, gingival bleeding, bleeding upon probing throughout the mouth, and pocket depth for sulcus depths that measured between 3 and 6 mm at baseline (p<0.009). Group oral health intervention provides an effective and relatively inexpensive means of helping patients improve their self‐care skills and achieve high levels of adherence to an effective self‐care regimen.