Obstructive Sleep Apnea Educational Intervention of Dental Hygiene Students

Abstract

Study Objectives: Oral health professionals (OHPs) have a unique opportunity to screen for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but receive limited education about OSA. This study determined whether an online educational intervention could significantly increase the knowledge of information relevant to OSA screening in individuals studying dental hygiene (DH). 1 Methods: A 17-question, comprehension-based pretest and posttest assessed OSA knowledge. The convenience sample consisted of students enrolled in the first year of the DH program at Eastern Washington University in 2017. Participants completed the pretest, viewed the OSA educational video, completed a posttest, and then completed a second posttest 2 weeks following completion of the educational module. Pretest and first posttest answers were compared to determine a change in knowledge. First posttest and second posttest answers were compared to evaluate knowledge retention. 1 Results: Thirty-three participants completed the pretest and posttest, and 28 (85%) completed the second posttest. Participants had a significant improvement in first posttest scores (p < .001, t(33) = 9.836) and second posttest scores (p < .001, t(28) = 5.653) compared to pretest scores. Following completion of the online educational module, all participants (n=33) indicated they believed screening for OSA was important, and 76% of participants (n=25) indicated they were likely or very likely to evaluate adult patients for OSA. 1 Conclusions: An online OSA educational module is an effective educational strategy to increase students' knowledge of OSA.

Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Program on Level of Knowledge Regarding Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) among Nursing Students.

“…al., (Valerio & Heaton, 2014) included concepts on the significance of OSA knowledge, analysis of OSA signs and symptoms, and evaluate clinical symptoms, 16 while Glueckertet. al., (Glueckert et al, 2019) focused on OSA definition, background including symptoms, associated health conditions and consequences, diagnosis, screening methods, and treatment options, along with a case study. The effectiveness of the teaching method employed in the current study was evident with the significant (increase in mean knowledge post-test when compared to the pre-test.…”

“…Similarly, significant improvement in OSA knowledge scores was observed in a study conducted among dental hygiene students, where the mean pre-test score was increased post-test. (Glueckert et al, 2019) A recent study conducted on nurse-practitioner students also revealed significant improvement in sleep knowledge, after going through case-based modules that addressed sleep health and disorders. (Sawyer AM et al, 2022) This highlights the overall need of educating young practitioners and students regarding sleep hygiene and associated disorders which must be included as part of their curriculum (Goyal et al, 2018).…”