The Perceived Likelihood of Dental Hygienists to Report Abuse Before and After a Training Program

Abstract

Purpose. The rise of abuse, mandatory reporting, and penalties for not reporting abuse make this study significant for oral health care personnel. The purpose of this research was to determine survey results pertaining to the likelihood of dental hygienists reporting abuse before and after a training program, in order to influence and encourage similar training programs in other locations and to impact dental hygiene curricula.

Methods. Exempt status was obtained from the University of New England Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects. A convenience sample was taken of registered dental hygienists who attended a training program and who volunteered to complete a 10-item statement form. A three-category ordinal Likert-type scale was employed. The statement form was filled out before and after a tested training program for the recognition and reporting of abuse (violence) and neglect. The terms family violence, child abuse, and elder abuse were defined as umbrella terms to encompass all abuse, except where explicit. This study explores two research questions: Do dental hygienists perceive the likelihood to make a report if confronted with suspected abuse, and would training make a difference in the perceived likelihood to report? The 10 statements were grouped into three sets for analysis: 1) training and experience in reporting, 2) knowledge of responsibilities, signs, symptoms, and interviewing, and 3) likelihood of making a report. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to explain the population's knowledge characteristics and the likelihood of reporting abuse.

Results. Twenty-six surveys were administered and 25 surveys were returned for a 96% response rate (n=25). Survey results supported training to increase compliance with mandatory reporting. Of the subgroup having experience with reporting (n=5; 20%), over half (n=3) knew all aspects of abuse. The entire group knew more about child abuse than elder abuse. Prior to training, 40% definitely knew that they would likely report abuse, 40% somewhat knew that they would likely report it, and 20% didn't know or said it would be unlikely that they would report. Only 5% stated that they definitely knew how to make a report before the training. After training, 100% reported that they would be likely to make a report, an overall increase of 60%. In the pre-survey, 60% said they did not know how to make a report, compared to 96% indicating in the post-survey that they knew how to make a report after training.

Conclusion. Evidence from the dental hygienists attending a continuing education program supports that training increases the self-perceived likelihood to report abuse. This study also acknowledged areas for investigation of curricular augmentation, such as providing more information on elder abuse and presenting a guide for filing a report of abuse to the appropriate agencies. It is imperative for educators to include adequate information in dental and dental hygiene curricula for training in reporting abuse. It is also incumbent upon dental hygiene clinicians to identify their own educational needs and to seek out appropriate continuing education. These identified outcomes are an important reinforcement to providing adequate instruction in dental hygiene curricula.