Multidisciplinary approach to home-health care: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether there was a difference between a multidisciplinary approach (joint home visits) and the traditional approach (solo visits) in the effect on dental hygiene (DH) and nursing (BSN) baccalaureate students' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about home-health care and the elderly.


METHODS
Thirty-one DH and 16 BSN students participated in the study. They completed a pre- and post-test questionnaire about home-health care and the elderly, and were randomly assigned to either a research group or a control group. The research group was required to make three joint home visits to a home-health patient, while the control group made three solo visits.


RESULTS
Repeated measures ANOVA's were used for statistical analysis of the data. There was a significant difference in the effects for program and pre to post-test on the knowledge questions for the DH students. Making a joint home visit was not significant. The ANOVA found no significant differences on the attitude questions, but there were significant differences in students' perceptions about the elderly pre to post-test for the entire sample.


CONCLUSIONS
DH students' scores increased significantly more than the BSN students' scores on the knowledge questions. Student attitudes about working together did not change pre to post-test, but students' perceptions did change significantly in both groups. Joint home visits were not a significant factor in the students' knowledge, perceptions, or attitudes.
Hyde
R
R
Department of Nursing, Idaho State University, Pocatello, USA.
Miller
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016321:Dental Care for Aged; D003756:Dental Hygienists; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013335:Students, Dental; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires