The implications of oral health education interventions in providing oral hygiene care for individuals with visual impairment: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with visual impairment (VI) are doubly disadvantaged by their lack of vision and poor oral hygiene (OH). Implementing oral health education (OHE) interventions should be set as goals to improve OH status and prevent oral diseases. However, few studies have examined the specific teaching method of OH skills. This study aimed to identify the most influential OHE interventions enabling individuals with VI worldwide, especially those in countries where VI is most frequent, to maintain OH and improve knowledge and practices. METHODS: An extensive literature review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis method. This study systematically searched electronic databases (PubMed via Medline, Cochrane, Embase, and Google Scholar) using expert-validated keywords, complemented by manual searches, to identify relevant articles published between April 1, 2012, and September 30, 2022. RESULT: PICOS criteria were formulated for study inclusion. The bibliographical search identified 1485 articles, which were subsequently filtered. Two researchers separately screened the articles for eligibility and to reduce the risk of bias in the included studies. Finally, the most pertinent 21 articles were scrutinized for data synthesis. CONCLUSION: Most studies identified combination methods, including customized educational demonstrations, as the best at improving OH status, knowledge, and practices. However, long-term, rigorously designed, and effective patient-centered communication trials, including those on innovative methods, are still needed for individuals with VI.

Emotional Intelligence, Depression, Stress and Anxiety Amongst Undergraduate Dental Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: This study aimed to measure depression, anxiety and stress (DAS) among undergraduate dental students during the COVID-19 pandemic, identify key contributing factors of stress and explore the association of emotional intelligence to DAS. Methods: A multi-centre, cross-sectional study was conducted across four universities in Malaysia. The study administered a questionnaire consisting of the validated Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), Dental Environment Stress (DES), Emotional Intelligence Scale (EI) and 10 statements assessing COVID-19 specific potential stressor factors. Results: Participants included 791 students across four universities. Abnormal levels of DAS were identified in 60.6%, 66.8% and 42.6% of the study participants, respectively. "Pressure of performance," "Faculty administration" and "Self-efficacy belief" were the highest rated stressors. On-time graduation was the main COVID-19 specific stressor factor. EI was negatively correlated with DAS scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The levels of DAS during COVID-19 pandemic in this population is high. However, participants with higher EI presented with lower DAS suggesting that EI may be a form of coping resource and should be enhanced in this population.