Factor analysis on oral health care for acute hospitalized patients in Japan

We conducted a survey to investigate the status regarding the implementation of oral health care for inpatients aged 65 years and older who were in the acute stages of stroke and to examine the factors related to the details of excellent model hospitals.

We sent a questionnaire on oral health care targeting all 8089 hospitals in Japan. On the basis of the responses obtained from the hospitals, we conducted a survey to analyze the factors defining what are known to be excellent model hospitals. We then conducted a logistic regression analysis using a stepwise procedure.

Replies were received from 2444 of the 8089 hospitals (30.2%): 91.8% of the hospitals reported that oral health care was a part of the daily nursing routine while 91.2% of the hospitals considered that aspiration pneumonia could be prevented by appropriate oral health care. Only 30% of the nurses had undergone oral hygiene training. Among the factors involved in excellent model hospitals, we observed a strong correlation with a sense of the necessity for oral health care, oral hygiene training for nurses and a large number of hospital beds.

Large scale hospitals tend to be more interested in oral health care than smaller hospitals. Providing oral health care is already common in acute hospitals in Japan. There is a great demand for oral hygiene training and obtaining information from dental professionals. It is important to promote the cooperation between dental and nursing personnel within hospitals regarding oral hygiene training.