Oral Health Intervention in Hemodialysis Patients

NCT07462208 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: COMU-SBF-SA-02
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 82
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Preserving dental health in patients undergoing hemodialysis is crucial for enhancing quality of life. Nonetheless, interventions pertaining to oral health have not been adequately studied. The impact of a simultaneous intervention comprising oral health education and reminder cards remains ambiguous. The findings help to examine the effect of oral health interventions on the levels of oral health and chronic disease adherence in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment. The use of oral care education, reminder cards, and checklists related to oral health can prevent the neglect of oral care.

Conditions

Age ≥ 18 Years Old; Receiving HD Treatment at Least 6 Months; Having no Hearing, Visual, or Speech Impairment; Performing Self-oral Care

Keywords

hemodialysis; oral health; oral care; adherence; nursing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Adaptation to Chronic Illness Scale

  The scale comprises 25 items across three subdomains, including physical, social, and psychological adjustment. The scale is designed as a 5-point Likert scale (with 1 = Strongly Disagree and 5 = Completely Agree). Items 5, 6, 12, 17, 19, 20, 24, and 25 are reverse scored. Maximum score that can be obtained from the scale is 125. Higher scores from the subdomains or the entire scale are indicative of the fact that the patients' level of adaptation to the disease is also high. The Cronbach's Alpha value of the scale is 0.88 for the entire scale.

  one weeks

• Oral Assessment Guide

  The guide allows for the assessment of voice, swallowing, lips, tongue, saliva, mucous membrane, gums, and teeth/dentures. The OAG supports the creation of an oral care protocol for patients with impaired oral mucous membranes. Each change related to oral health is scored between 1 and 3 points, and these scores are summed to obtain the total score. Scores obtainable from the OAG range from 8 to 24. A score between 8 and 14 indicates a "risk of impairment in the oral mucous membrane," while a score between 14 and 24 indicates "impairment in the oral mucous membrane." According to the OAG, a low score indicates good oral health, whereas high scores suggest poor oral health. A light source and a tongue depressor for each participant were used when evaluating oral health.

  one weeks

• Oral Health Reminder Card

  The card contains a total of 10 items regarding what should be paid attention to in daily oral health and was prepared based on the literature. The reminder cards were 10x15 cm in size, and participants were asked to place these cards somewhere visible in their homes. The reminder cards were not taken back.

  one weeks

• Oral Health Checklist

  This form contains the items listed on the Oral Health Reminder Card. Participants were asked to implement the items on the checklist and mark them as applied. Participants had the opportunity to evaluate whether they performed the oral health items every day over a one-week period.

  one weeks

Study Arms (1)

experimental group

Experimental: arm description experimental Arm Description: The socio-demographic and descriptive characteristics and disease adaptation levels included in the survey form were answered through face-to-face interviews. Participants' oral health was assessed. Oral care education was provided. Disease adaptation levels and oral health were assessed one week after the education.

Other: Oral health education

Interventions

Oral health education OTHER

After the pre-test application, one-on-one oral care education, lasting an average of 15 minutes, was conducted for each participant. The content of the education included: oral health in adults; the consequences of poor oral hygiene; points to consider for oral health; demonstration of the brushing technique; coping with care-resistant behaviors; and how to use the oral health reminder card and checklist.

experimental group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The population consisted of 115 individuals who applied to the hemodialysis unit of a research and practice hospital located in a city centre for hemodialysis treatment between July and October 2024. No sample selection was performed, and 82 (71.30%) patients on hemodialysis who met the inclusion criteria of the research were included in the sample.

You may qualify if:

• being 18 years of age or older,
• receiving HD treatment three or four times a week for at least 6 months,
• having no hearing, visual, or speech impairment,
• having no diagnosis of malignancy,
• performing self-oral care,

You may not qualify if:

• Patients who refused to participate in the study,
• did not consent to an oral examination,

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University: lead
• The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University

Çanakkale, 17100, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Health Education, Dental

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Health Education; Preventive Health Services; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Public Health Dentistry; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• SEVDA ATEŞ, Associate Professor

  Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: OTHER
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 5, 2026
• First Posted: March 10, 2026
• Study Start: June 3, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 3, 2024
• Study Completion: October 3, 2024
• Last Updated: March 12, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)