DEVELOPMENT OF ORAL HEALTH CARE FOR PHYSICALLY DISABLED PEOPLE IN PHUKRADUENG DISTRICT, LOEI PROVINCE

Abstract

This study is an action research to study and develop oral health care for the disabled in Phukradueng Municipality, Phukradueng District, Loei Province. The study area consists of 3 communities under the responsibility of the primary care unit, Phukradueng Hospital and Phukradueng Subdistrict Municipality. The data collection was conducted using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, through interviews and focus group discussions. The research participants were 6 disabled people, 6 caregivers of the disabled, and 15 action leaders. The research instruments used were a general information questionnaire, an in-depth interview form, an environmental observation form, a focus group discussion guideline and a voice recorder. The research results revealed that: 1) Regarding the oral health care situation of people with mobility disabilities, all people with disabilities had not received dental services within the past year. Obstacles included lack of waiting time and inconvenience. People with disabilities and their caregivers had expectations for promotion and support of oral health care, particularly observing the physical environment for people with disabilities. 2) The project was implemented in three phases: planning, implementation, and reflection. Training was provided to village health volunteers, people with disabilities, and their caregivers, as well as building a collaborative network with relevant agencies. The results showed that participants had increased knowledge, were able to better care for their oral health, and were able to transfer this knowledge to people with disabilities in their communities. 3) A satisfaction assessment of 15 project participants revealed that the overall satisfaction was “very satisfied” (mean = 3.89, S.D. = 0.60), particularly in the area of building relationships within the core group (mean = 4.13, S.D. = 0.64). All project participants expressed their desire for this type of project to continue in the future.