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Abstract
The objective of this study was to ascertain whether a symposium on elder abuse raises the level of knowledge and the self-reported likelihood to report elder abuse among licensed oral health care providers. 130 dentists, hygienists, and assistants voluntarily attended a 4-hour training symposium and completed both pre- and postsurveys testing their level of knowledge. Results by statistical analyses, using repeated measurements, Wilcoxon signed-rank test for nonparametric data, showed increases in awareness of reporting process, knowledge/awareness of elder abuse, knowledge of mandated reporter requirements, and comfort levels with recognizing signs and symptoms of elder abuse and neglect. In conclusion, a symposium can increase the self-reported likelihood of reporting elder abuse.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to greatly acknowledge the support of the San Diego County Dental Society in collaboration with this project by providing access to its membership roster and mailing list, publication of meeting information in its monthly newsletter, and helpful guidance by 2008 president, Lester Machado, MD, DDS; 2009 president, Robert Hanlon, DDS; and executive director, Mike Koonce, as well as the Executive Committee and Continuing Education Committee chairpersons, Kurt Stormberg, DDS and Charles Jerome, DDS. Furthermore, this project could not have succeeded without the expertise of Paul Greenwood, JD, San Diego District Attorney for Elder Abuse Prosecution; Carlos Medina, detective sergeant, San Diego Police Department; Carlos Morales, Adult Protective Services, San Diego County Aging and Independence Services; George McClane, MD; and Kathleen Shanel, DDS, PhD, MS. Without these individuals and their passionate voice for the rights of the San Diego community's elders, there would be no expert panel.