1819-LB: A Health Communication Assessment of Oral Self-Care Contents in Web-Based Education Materials for People with Diabetes

Introduction & Objective: Periodontal disease is the most prevalent diabetes complication affecting more than half of the diabetes population. However, it is unclear to what extent oral self-care recommendations have been incorporated into diabetes patient education websites, and, if available, how clear these are for patients to prevent and control oral complications of diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate availability and clarity of web-based oral self-care content for people with diabetes (PWD).

Methods: Google and Bing searches with keywords, “diabetes information for patients”, “living with diabetes”, and “diabetes self-management”, were performed. The first three pages of search results were reviewed excluding sponsored websites. We examined publicly available health information websites linked to major medical centers, health systems or government agencies, and excluded commercial websites. We assessed oral health information webpages for clarity and actionability using the CDC’s Community Communication Index (CCI).

Results: After eliminating duplicates, 52 diabetes education websites were assessed. Two-thirds had no information about oral health and one-fifth included minimal content such as statements about need for regular dental checkups. Seven websites had full pages on oral health information and were assessed using the CCI, with an average score of 77 (Range 64-88).

Conclusion: Although there are many websites providing patient education information on diabetes, only one-third include information about oral health. There is great need for reliable, accessible, and easy to use web-based patient education material to improve oral health awareness and behaviors, equipping PWD with the necessary knowledge and skills to practice optimal oral self-care.