September 2014

Motivation plays an important role in the treatment process of chronic diseases, as treatment requires behavioural change and lifelong adherence to medical recommendations. Periodontitis is a good example of such health condition as to maintain good periodontal health patients have to adhere to a strict oral hygiene regimen. Objective: To examine whether the motivation of patients suffering from chronic periodontitis influences their clinical periodontal condition. Basic research design: Cross sectional study. Clinical setting: Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine, Dental University Clinic, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland. Participants: 199 adult periodontal patients, aged 20–78 years. Interventions: Questionnaire concerning patients’ medical and dental history, modified Żychlińscy motivation assessment questionnaire, clinical periodontal examination. Main outcome measures: The extent of motivation. Periodontal status evaluated with the use of periodontal indices (API, BOP, CPITN). Results: The mean motivation score was 57.4. The mean API and BOP values were 55.7% and 46.4%, respectively. For most of the patients the recorded CPITN value was 3. Correlations were observed between motivation and both API and BOP, and between API and BOP. Conclusion: Periodontal patients with greater motivation having better oral health (lower API and BOP) suggests an influence on the quality of their self-management of the disease (i.e. adherence to their oral hygiene regimen). Key words: motivation, periodontal disease, chronic disease, Poland