Exploring perceptions and cost factors home-based oral care interventions for older adults: a focus group study

Objectives: This qualitative study explores the perspectives of dental hygienists and examines factors influencing payment structures in a community home-based oral health care intervention program.Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted on October 26, 2023, in a quiet study room over 120 minutes.Intervention providers who participated in the older adults medical care integration support program were included in this study.Their ages ranged from 25 to 57 years, with experience in home-based oral healthcare spanning from 1.5 to 5 years.Voice recordings of the interviews were transcribed using Clova Note and Naver's AI transcription tool.Subsequently, the 'Word Cloud Generator 3.7' program was employed to extract, visualize, and analyze frequently mentioned words and key concepts from the responses.Results: Semantic analysis identified 61 significant keywords and 10 subcategories, categorized into four main themes: 'oral health challenges in the elderly,' 'work system of home-based dental hygienists,' 'needs and realities of home-based oral care,' and 'payment and compensation frameworks.' Conclusions: To address the demands of a super-aging society, it is imperative to establish a standardized oral healthcare cost system for home-based interventions, supported by clear laws and regulations.