Research That Matters (January 17 - 20, 2008)

The Older American Act (OAA) Reauthorization Bill of 2006 has recently expanded its Title II Program to include “disease prevention and health promotion”. A descriptive study was initiated to identify health care needs from older adults (60+) and baby boomers (45- 60 years of age), living in a thirteen county area in the rural Midwest. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of a geriatric population and baby boomers, related to health screenings. Oral health screenings were compared with three other general health screening items.Findings were sought with the view of guiding policy and program development. METHODS: Respondents (n=236) who were 60+ years were participants of either a home-delivered meal program or a senior center nutrition site. Sites/consumers were selected based on the rural nature of the location, and were housed within a 13 county area in a rural Midwest location. Baby boomers (n=253) resided in the same catchment areas, but were 45-60 years of age. Instrumentation was comprised of a tool utilizing a four (4) point Likert scale for specific service needs ( which included a series of variables related to health screening and health promotion) along with a demographic section. Items examined in this study were diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure and oral health screenings. RESULTS: Findings suggest that oral health screenings were perceived as much less important as compared to screenings for cholesterol, hypertension or diabetes in both groups of individuals (Seniors versus boomers). . The more rural the setting, the less important oral health screening was perceived to be. Comparisons between the two cohort groups (Boomers versus seniors) revealed that Boomers were more concerned about health screenings and health promotion efforts than the Senior (65+) cohort. The Senior cohort (65+) were most concerned with blood pressure and diabetes management when compared with other items of concern. CONCLUSIONS: Oral health screening is not perceived as important as general health or chronic disease screenings within the health promotion frameworks. General health screenings were perceived to be less important by the older cohort group, when compared to up and coming “Seniors” (the baby boomer cohort). Efforts need to be made by health professionals to address oral health screenings and raise the awareness of the important role that these screenings potentially can play with the overall health in geriatrics. Specific strategies will be addressed as part of the implications for building programs from these 2006 legislative/policy amendments to the OAA, particularly with the view of the Baby Boom cohort coming aboard.