Abstract
BackgroundDental health is often neglected by the majority of the population and has contributed to the global burden of oral diseases. We assessed awareness, utilization and barriers to seeking oral health care among adults in Nebbi District, Uganda.MethodsA community-based, cross sectional study was conducted in the central division, Nebbi District in Uganda among adults between the age of 18 years or older. An interviewer-administered, semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection on socio-demographic characteristics, oral health awareness, oral health utilization, associated factors and barriers.ResultsA total of 400 adults with a median age of 32 years (interquartile range 24–43) years were enrolled. More than half (57.5%, n = 230) of the participants were female. Participants identified smoking (42.8%, n = 171) and consumption of sugary foodstuffs (29.0%, n = 116) as risk factors for oral disease. Not brushing was also identified by 260 participants (65.0%) as the cause of tooth decay and 95.8% (n = 383) believed brushing one’s teeth could prevent tooth decay. Of the 51.5% (n = 206) who had experienced a toothache or discomfort 12 months prior to the study but only about half (52%, n = 106) had sought healthcare from a dental clinic or facility. About 89.5% (n = 94) of the participants were able to see a dentist during their last visits. Dental carries (76.6%, n = 70) and gum bleeding (14.9%, n = 14) were the most frequent reasons for visiting a dental clinic, and 73.7% (n = 70) had their tooth extracted. Barriers to seeking oral healthcare were cost of treatment (47.5%, n = 190), and long waiting time (18.5%, n = 74). The odds of seeking oral healthcare was 2.8-fold higher in participants who were being married (Odds ratio (OR): 2.8, 95% CI 1.3–6.3, p = 0.011) and 3.5-fold higher among housewives (COR: 3.5, 95% CI 1.1–11.4, p = 0.040).ConclusionAbout half of the participants had sought healthcare following a dental condition. Cost of treatment seems to be an important factor affecting utilization of oral health services. Optimization of costs, and creating awareness regarding benefits of utilizing preventive dental services are recommended.
Highlights
Dental health is often neglected by the majority of the population and has contributed to the global burden of oral diseases
Study setting The study was conducted in Nebbi district, a rural district in Uganda, located in West-Nile sub-region, Northern Uganda
Dental services at HCIV is offered by a dental public health practitioners and nurses trained in dental health care
Summary
Dental health is often neglected by the majority of the population and has contributed to the global burden of oral diseases. Oral diseases represent a major public health challenge globally, and yet remain neglected. It is estimated that oral diseases affect over 3.5 billion people worldwide, with dental caries of permanent teeth being the most common condition [1, 2]. Ocwia et al BMC Oral Health (2021) 21:453 billion people suffer from caries of permanent teeth and more than 530 million children suffer from caries of primary teeth [2]. The burden of oral diseases is more severe in poor and disadvantaged population groups. A systematic review has suggested a 20.8% increase in the global burden of oral conditions in the past decades, and this has been attributed to population growth and aging [2]. HIV/AIDS is an important risk factor for oral diseases, especially in sub-Saharan Africa which has the highest burden of HIV [3]
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