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Biomedical subjects

E M Boyer

Publications and source records attributed to E M Boyer.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Classroom teachers' perceived role in dental health education.

This investigation utilized mail questionnaires to determine public school teachers' perceived adequacy to teach six dental health topics and responsbility for dental health in the classroom. The majority of public school teachers surveyed in Iowa City and surrounding communities felt adequate to teach dental health topics with two major exceptions: increasing proficiency in brushing and flossing, and understanding the processes and reasons for periodontal disease. More importantly, this study indicates that many teachers do not consider dental health activities to be responsibilities of the public school teacher.

Attitude↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dentist involvement in care provided by the dental hygienist.

This study investigated a nationwide sample of dental hygienists to determine the extent of dentist involvement during the patient's appointment with the dental hygienist. The American Dental Hygienists' Association identified the need for additional study of dentist involvement and contracted for data to be obtained as part of the ongoing longitudinal study of 1982 dental hygiene graduates. Mail questionnaires were sent to a nationwide cohort of 1,008 dental hygienists who graduated in 1982. Responses were received from 812 subjects, an 83% response rate from subjects with valid addresses. Data indicated that, on the average, the dentist spends 10 minutes with the dental hygienist's patient at the end of the dental hygiene appointment. This time is divided almost equally among talking with the patient, performing an oral examination, and discussing diagnosis and treatment needs.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors related to career retention among dental hygienists.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to investigate the reasons dental hygienists consider leaving or leave dental hygiene and to determine if the reasons vary by employment category. METHODS: In March 1988, mail questionnaires designed by the author were sent to a nationwide sample of 1,008 dental hygienists who graduated in 1982 and who had been surveyed every six months beginning in their senior year of dental hygiene school. Consideration of leaving dental hygiene was ascertained with an open-ended question. Responses to this question were categorized into five determinants of work change: economic, psychological, sociological, physiological, and environmental. Chi-square analysis was used to ascertain if determinants of work change were associated with employment. RESULTS: Responses were received from 812 dental hygienists--an 81% response rate overall and an 83% response rate from subjects with valid addresses. While 82% of the respondents were employed in dental hygiene, 7% were employed outside of dental hygiene, and 12% were not employed. Of the respondents, 57% had considered leaving dental hygiene within six years after graduation. Reasons for considering leaving varied by employment status. Dental hygienists currently employed in dental hygiene stated a wide variety of reasons for considering leaving, but most important were psychological factors. Environmental (family responsibility) factors were most important for unemployed dental hygienists, while economic factors were most important for dental hygienists employed outside dental hygiene. CONCLUSIONS: Factors identified in this research can be used to help understand, and to design efforts to enhance, career retention. Additional research is needed to determine whether the causative factors for job turnover and career turnover are different or essentially the same.

Career Mobility↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Components of nonresponse in mail surveys of dental hygienists.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the reporting of nonresponse in mail survey research and to determine if nonresponse as a result of inaccurate addresses varied by sampling frame. Nonresponse bias is defined as researchers' inability to contact some members of a sample, or the refusal of some sample members to provide information. METHODS: Published survey research articles in the Journal of Dental Hygiene from 1988 through 1992 were reviewed for nonresponse information. Thirty-nine articles described studies that met the requirements of being a mail survey of dental hygiene subjects. All 39 articles included information about the population base and the number of subjects in the sample. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Response rates ranging from 33% to 92% were reported in 37 articles. Only 15 of the 37 articles included information on the ability to contact subjects. The percentage of subjects who could not be contacted ranged from 1.1% to 13.3%. Professional organization membership rosters provided the most accurate mailing lists, followed by school class rosters. Least accurate were licensure lists and magazine lists. CONCLUSION: More attention to research design may help dental hygiene researchers recognize the impact of nonresponse bias.

Bias↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Attitudes of Iowa dental hygienists regarding self-regulation and practice.

PURPOSE: This study investigated Iowa dental hygienists' perceptions about education, practice, and licensure regarding issues related to self-regulation. Furthermore, it was the purpose of the study to determine if these perceptions were statistically related to membership in the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA). METHODS: In October 1992, 150 Iowa dental hygienists were randomly selected to participate in a mail survey. The questionnaire included items on self-regulation, licensure, practice, supervision, delivery systems, and independent practice. Responses were analyzed by frequency distributions and the chi-square statistic. RESULTS: Ninety responses were received, representing 80% of the 112 subjects with valid Iowa addresses, but only 60% of the selected sample. Of the 36 variables analyzed, only two were statistically significantly different by ADHA membership. Thus, data were combined and reported for all respondents. The majority of Iowa dental hygienists (71.6%) believed dental hygiene was pursuing self-regulation to improve quality of care. They wanted more dental hygiene representation on licensure boards and almost 50% wanted separate boards. The majority of respondents favored control of dental hygiene practice and 70% wanted alternatives to the current dental hygiene care delivery system. Most respondents stated general supervision and independent practice would increase access to oral healthcare without increasing patients' risk of health problems. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of Iowa dental hygienists support the dental hygiene profession's goal of self-regulation. ADHA members and nonmembers have similar attitudes and opinions about dental hygiene self-regulation, licensure, delivery systems, and practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effectiveness of a low-chemical, low-protein medical glove to prevent or reduce dermatological problems.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effectiveness of a low-chemical, low-protein, powder-free latex medical glove to reduce or prevent hand dermatitis in a group of oral healthcare workers who had a self-reported history of hand irritation from medical glove use. METHODS: Dental hygienists who had previously reported dermatological conditions from routine use of medical gloves were invited to participate in this study to test a new medical glove. All subjects completed baseline information and 85 subjects participated in the study. Subjects wore the gloves routinely for six weeks unless complications developed. Postuse questionnaires were sent to the 85 participants. Dermatological signs and symptoms were measured at both times and subjects' perceptions of change in dermatological conditions were measured postuse. Data were analyzed by frequency distributions, paired t-test, and McNemar's chi-square statistic. RESULTS: For the 85 participants, the reduction in number of dermatological signs and symptoms was statistically significant (t = 3.46; p = 0.001) from a mean of 2.5 (sd = 2.8) to a mean of 1.3 (sd = 2.6) symptoms. A statistically significantly (chi-square = 7/8; p = 0.005) greater proportion of subjects were symptom-free at postuse (61.2%) than at baseline (41.2%). Almost 90% of the oral healthcare workers perceived that the number of dermatological signs and symptoms, the intensity of signs and symptoms, and the area involved stayed the same or decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The medical gloves used in this study were effective in reducing the number of dermatological problems associated with routine medical glove use by oral healthcare workers with self-reported histories of problems with medical gloves.

Allergens↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Career promotional activities of Iowa dental hygienists.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between Iowa dental hygienists' career promotional behaviors and (1) attitudes about career satisfaction, (2) beliefs about the job market, (3) membership in the American Dental Hygienists' Association, (4) demographics, and (5) employment characteristics. METHODS: In February 1993, questionnaires were mailed to a stratified random sample of 467 Iowa dental hygienists licensed and residing in the state of Iowa. Participation in four career promotional behaviors was ascertained as well as several independent variables. The data were analyzed with frequency distributions, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and chi-square statistics. RESULTS: An adjusted response rate of 92.3% was achieved (N=423 respondents). The majority of respondents (79.1%) recommended a career in dental hygiene, but fewer than 20% participated in a dental hygiene career day, gave an undesignated monetary gift to a dental hygiene education program, or donated to a dental hygiene scholarship fund. The independent variables were not related consistently to each of the career promotional activities. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that career promotional behaviors are multifaceted and require additional research to elucidate the interrelationships and enhance coordinated approaches to dental hygiene career recruitment.

Adult↗