Tomohisa Ohno1,2, Tatsuya Morita3, Fumiyo Tamura4, Hirohiko Hirano5, Yutaka Watanabe6, Takeshi Kikutani4. 1. Department of Dentistry, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan. tomohisa@zd5.so-net.ne.jp. 2. Department of Advanced Medicine Dentistry and Dental/Oral Surgery, Japanese National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan. tomohisa@zd5.so-net.ne.jp. 3. Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Palliative Care Team and Seirei Hospice, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan. 4. Division of Clinical Oral Rehabilitation, The Nippon Dental University Graduate School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 5. Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Medical Center, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan. 6. Department of Oral Diseases Research, Japanese National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Considering the high incidence of oral complications in terminally ill cancer patients, dental services are necessary for high-quality palliative care. However, to our knowledge, there have been no nationwide studies examining the need and availability of dental services in palliative care. In this study, a nationwide survey was conducted to clarify the need and availability of dental services for physicians and nurses engaged in palliative care in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 436 certified palliative care units and palliative care teams registered with Hospice Palliative Care Japan. The questionnaire consisted of questions related to (1) background, (2) need of dental services, and (3) availability of dental services. RESULTS: The response rate was 48.2% (n = 210). As a whole, 93% of all respondents indicated that dental services were absolutely necessary, highly necessary, or necessary. In addition, 94% of respondents thought dental treatment by dentists was often or sometimes necessary; 96% of respondents thought oral care provided by specialists was often or sometimes necessary. As a whole, 71% of the respondents reported that dental services were always available, but 28% reported that dental services were available only sometimes. In actuality, in 31% of the institutions, dental services were available 1 day/week or less, and in 39%, dental services were dispatched from outside the institution. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that Japanese palliative care units and teams have a markedly high need of dental services, but there is insufficient availability. To improve oral complications of terminally ill cancer patients, dentistry professionals should be more available in palliative care.
OBJECTIVE: Considering the high incidence of oral complications in terminally ill cancerpatients, dental services are necessary for high-quality palliative care. However, to our knowledge, there have been no nationwide studies examining the need and availability of dental services in palliative care. In this study, a nationwide survey was conducted to clarify the need and availability of dental services for physicians and nurses engaged in palliative care in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was distributed to 436 certified palliative care units and palliative care teams registered with Hospice Palliative Care Japan. The questionnaire consisted of questions related to (1) background, (2) need of dental services, and (3) availability of dental services. RESULTS: The response rate was 48.2% (n = 210). As a whole, 93% of all respondents indicated that dental services were absolutely necessary, highly necessary, or necessary. In addition, 94% of respondents thought dental treatment by dentists was often or sometimes necessary; 96% of respondents thought oral care provided by specialists was often or sometimes necessary. As a whole, 71% of the respondents reported that dental services were always available, but 28% reported that dental services were available only sometimes. In actuality, in 31% of the institutions, dental services were available 1 day/week or less, and in 39%, dental services were dispatched from outside the institution. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that Japanese palliative care units and teams have a markedly high need of dental services, but there is insufficient availability. To improve oral complications of terminally ill cancerpatients, dentistry professionals should be more available in palliative care.
Authors: Jac A Jones; Yanin Chavarri-Guerra; Luisa Barreto Costa Corrêa; David R Dean; Joel B Epstein; Eduardo R Fregnani; Jiyeon Lee; Yuhei Matsuda; Valeria Mercadante; Ragnhild Elisabeth Monsen; Natasja J H Rajimakers; Deborah Saunders; Enrique Soto-Perez-de-Celis; Mariana S Sousa; Arghavan Tonkaboni; Arjan Vissink; Keng Soon Yeoh; Andrew N Davies Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2022-06-18 Impact factor: 3.603