Effects of the dental health promotion program on knowledge and practices in preventing periodontal disease among elderly people with diabetes in Kham Phra village Hua Taphan District, Amnat Charoen Province

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed to compare the knowledge and preventive practices regarding periodontal disease between elderly individuals with diabetes in the experimental and control groups, before and after receiving a dental health promotion program. The study was conducted in Kamphra Village, Huatatphan District, Amnat Charoen Province. The sample size was calculated using a formula for comparing the means of two independent groups, with 32 participants in each group. Data were collected using a questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.75. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, with Independent-Samples T-Test.
The results showed that, after the intervention, the experimental group had a significantly higher mean score in knowledge about periodontal disease prevention compared to the control group mean difference = 2.84, (95% CI: 2.10 to 3.58;p=0.046). Additionally, the experimental group exhibited significantly higher mean scores in preventive practices compared to the control group mean difference (9.66, 95% CI: 7.76 to 15.54; p<0.001). These findings emphasize the importance of promoting dental health to enhance both knowledge and preventive practices related to periodontal disease in elderly individuals with diabetes.