Dental hygienists' knowledge of menopause and its potential oral manifestations.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess dental hygienists' general knowledge of menopause and its possible oral manifestations. Demographic descriptors, including education level, course work, and menopausal status, were examined to determine their influence on knowledge levels.


METHODS
A 27-item, self-administered survey was mailed to a random sample of Connecticut dental hygienists. Frequency distributions and inferential statistics (ANOVA, t-test) were used for data analysis.


RESULTS
Fifty-four percent of respondents scored 75 percent or higher in general knowledge about menopause. Seven percent scored the same about its oral effects. Educational level and dental hygiene college curricula influenced the oral effect scores. Dental hygienists with bachelor degrees exhibited more knowledge than those with certificate/associate degrees. Those who had taken a college course on the oral effects of menopause had more knowledge than those who had not.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that dental hygienists need more education about menopause and its related oral conditions. Those with additional knowledge might be more able to provide comprehensive care to menopausal and post-menopausal dental patients. Future research using larger sample sizes may enhance the education of dental hygienists in this area.
Murray
D L
DL
Children's Dental Health Clinic, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
Fried
J
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires