title: Usefulness of Oral Care-related Information Provision at Drugstores to Prevent Pneumonia.
abstract: Although the removal of bacteria in the oral cavity is regarded as an important preventive measure against pneumonia, the majority of elderly individuals are rarely provided with oral care-related information. This study examined the usefulness of oral care-related information provision for the elderly by pharmacists working at drugstores. A questionnaire survey was conducted, involving 387 pharmacists working at drugstores and 51 elderly individuals who visited such stores. Oral care-related information had been actively provided by 14.5% of the pharmacists, and 62.5% of all oral care products were being sold as care products. When focusing on the elderly, 70.6% showed interest in oral care, but the proportion of those who had performed self-care to promote such health was limited to 5.9%. After being provided with oral care-information, 97.6% answered "I wish to regularly perform oral self-care", and 86.3% regarded oral care-related information provision by pharmacists as "very useful". The results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of information provision by pharmacists at drugstores to promote oral self-care among the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Yokohama University of Pharmacy.
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.forename: Sako
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwano
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shigeyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods; D010595:Pharmacists; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires