Ecological risk factors for unmet needs in oral health care in Chegutu rural district in Zimbabwe a cross-sectional study

Abstract

ABSTRACT An unmet need in oral health care is a need for oral health care which individuals have failed to access. About 90% of the Zimbabwean population will suffer from oral diseases in their lifetime and a substantial proportion seeks only curative dental care. This study sought to assess the unmet oral health need among the adult population in Chegutu District and its underlying determinants. We carried out a cross-sectional study at Chegutu District Hospital. Two hundred and seventy-six participants were randomly enrolled using systematic sampling. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to collect data, and data analysis was done by computer using the EPI Info package. The prevalence of unmet need for oral health in Chegutu urban’s adult population was 89.1%. Having an unmet need in oral health care was influenced by demographic, behavioural and health service-related factors. For instance, having attended school up to primary level (POR: 2.75; 95% CI: 1.2–6.23) and high costs to oral health care (POR = 7.5; 95% CI = 3.3–17) were significantly associated with having an unmet need. The prevalence of unmet need in oral health care in Chegutu district’s urban population is high. The demographic factor that significantly contributed to the high rate of unmet need was low educational level. Behavioural factors like use of tobacco also contributed to an unmet need. High cost of service as a barrier to oral health care access had a greater likelihood of having an unmet need.