Biomedical subjects

M L Darby

Publications and source records attributed to M L Darby.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

The cultural adaptability of health sciences faculty.

PURPOSE: Health care educators have a major responsibility to prepare future health care practitioners to provide services for culturally diverse clients. As a starting point, prior to making any curricular changes, the cultural adaptability of the faculty needs to be measured; therefore, this study was conducted to determine the cultural adaptability of the faculty within a College of Health Sciences of an urban regional university in Southeastern Virginia. METHODS: The sample consisted of 40 health sciences faculty representing dental hygiene, medical laboratory sciences, nursing and physical therapy. The principal investigator personally administered the Cross-Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI), a 50-item instrument that contains questions to measure the construct cultural adaptability and its four dimensions: emotional resilience, flexibility/openness, perceptual acuity, and personal autonomy. The CCAI is not targeted to one particular culture, but rather is designed to be culture general. RESULTS: Overall, all four faculty groups exhibited higher average CCAI scores than the CCAI norm group which consisted of individuals with cross-cultural experience and training. Analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant difference, at the 0.05 level, in the overall CCAI scores among the health sciences faculty. Analysis of CCAI scores among the health sciences faculty, using analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant difference, at the 0.05 level, in emotional resilience, perceptual acuity, and personal autonomy. In the dimension flexibility/openness, a significant difference was exhibited between the physical therapy and medical laboratory sciences faculty. CONCLUSIONS: These qualities should provide a strong foundation for the development of additional competence in cross-cultural health care and for preparing practitioners who can provide culturally sensitive health care. Further exploration to determine whether a cross culturally adaptable faculty can impart this attribute to students might be to administer the CCAI to entering and exiting students.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2000

Behavioral management instruction of anxious clients in the dental hygiene curricula.

PURPOSE: This study sought to determine the type and amount of instruction on behavioral management of anxious clients in dental hygiene curricula, the instructional differences between associate and baccalaureate programs, and the opinions of educators regarding behavioral management. METHODS: A 19-item questionnaire was mailed to the directors of 210 dental hygiene programs who were asked to furnish information pertaining to behavioral instruction in their curricula and to express their opinions by use of a Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the chi-square and Z hypothesis tests. RESULTS: Two mailings resulted in an overall response rate of 81%, with 170 questionnaires returned. Results revealed that 86% of programs surveyed taught behavioral management of anxious clients to their students. Types of strategies taught and percentage of programs teaching them were: information provision (96%), distraction (51%), modeling (51%), relaxation (62%), and hypnosis (7%). No significant relationships were found between associate and baccalaureate degree programs relating to the type of behavioral instruction; however, baccalaureate degree programs devoted significantly more curricular hours to this instruction. In general, the sample of dental hygiene educators held positive opinions regarding the use of behavioral management, with only 28% having had formal education in this area. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that comprehensive instruction on behavioral management of client anxiety is not provided to students in all dental hygiene programs, even though dental hygiene educators consider this modality effective during oral health care.

Behavior Therapy↗

PubMed2000

Application of the human needs conceptual model to dental hygiene practice.

The Human Needs Conceptual Model is relevant to dental hygiene because of the need for dental hygienists to be client focused, humanistic, and accountable in practice. Application of the Human Needs Conceptual Model provides a formal framework for identifying and understanding the unique needs of the client that can be met through dental hygiene care. Practitioners find that the Human Needs Conceptual Model can not only help them in assessment and diagnosis, but also in client education, decision-making, care implementation, and the evaluation of treatment outcomes. By using the model, the dental hygienist is able to manage client care humanistically and holistically, and ensure that care is client-centered rather than task-oriented. With the model, a professional practice can be made operational.

Communication↗

PubMed1998

The oral health status of individuals on renal dialysis.

The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine the oral health status of individual's undergoing renal dialysis in southeastern Virginia. A sample was identified for this cross-sectional study via a local health maintenance organization. Three subgroups of the population were studied: 1) those who have been on renal dialysis for less than a year; 2) those on renal dialysis for 1 to 3 years; and 3) those on renal dialysis for longer than 3 years. Three dental indices the Periodontal Disease Index; the Decayed, Missing. Filled index; and the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index--were used to identify periodontal disease, dental caries activity, and oral hygiene status. Data were compiled and analyzed by using the parametric test, 1-way analysis of variance. Results suggested that 100% (n = 45) of the individuals undergoing renal dialysis presented with some form of periodontal disease (X = 3.15, SD = 1.41). The majority (64%) of the sample displayed either severe gingivitis (28%) or early periodontitis (36%). Sixty-four percent of the sample displayed a high DMF index (X = 11.77, SD = 7.55), while 98% of the sample accumulated calculus. Oral debris was present in 100% of the sample, resulting in a high Simplified Oral Hygiene Index score (X = 3.24, SD = 1.26), suggesting an increased need for oral care instruction. Findings led to the conclusion that the renal dialysis population in southeastern Virginia, regardless of length of time on dialysis, is in need of comprehensive professional oral care and self-care instruction. Oral disease was present and is a source of active infection in these medically compromised individuals and, as such, has dire implication for morbidity and mortality.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1989