Abstract
IntroductionThis study investigates the oral health-seeking behaviour of households and its influence on demand for dental caries treatment services in Enugu state Nigeria.MethodsA quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was used to explore the oral health seeking pattern of 378 urban and 348 rural household respondents in Enugu state Nigeria. The study explored dental caries treatment-seeking, oral health behavior of respondents using the three dynamics of the Andersen and Newman health utilization model; predisposing, enabling and need factors.FindingsRecommendations from community members (48.9%), severity of disease (22.1%), and cost of treatment (19.4%) all influenced where oral healthcare was first sought. Gender and type of occupation, influenced positive oral health-seeking behavior (p<0.05). The least poor socioeconomic status (SES) group, sought dental treatment in the private dental clinics, while the very poor and most poor SES groups used traditional healers, home treatment and patent medicine dealers more. Dental fillings and extractions were generally the most accessed treatment options for dental caries. The tendency for all the SES groups (especially the least poor), to choose tooth extraction more as a treatment option for dental caries was influenced by the oral health awareness level of respondents and the cost of dental fillings. (p<0.05).ConclusionThe findings suggest that interventions to create increased oral health awareness targeted at education on preventive strategies, appropriate time and place to seek oral health care and dental caries treatment, as well devising and implementing health financing options such as dental insurance would enable individuals to seek appropriate treatment for dental caries on time. In addition, it will reduce the proportion of people visiting unorthodox healthcare providers for their oral health problems or choosing cheaper but inappropriate treatment options.
Highlights
This study investigates the oral health-seeking behaviour of households and its influence on demand for dental caries treatment services in Enugu state Nigeria
The findings suggest that interventions to create increased oral health awareness targeted at education on preventive strategies, appropriate time and place to seek oral health care and dental caries treatment, as well devising and implementing health financing options such as dental insurance would enable individuals to seek appropriate treatment for dental caries on time
It will reduce the proportion of people visiting unorthodox healthcare providers for their oral health problems or choosing cheaper but inappropriate treatment options
Summary
A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was used to explore the oral health seeking pattern of 378 urban and 348 rural household respondents in Enugu state Nigeria. Enugu state is divided into 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The state has a projected population of 4,411,100 with an urban population of about 1,032,297 and rural population of 2,235,540 [32]. The urban population is made up of mainly civil servants, traders, government workers, professionals, artisans, and students of the various educational institutions in the state while the rural population is made up of both artisans, subsistence farmers, traders as well as academics and government workers by virtue of the university campus located in the vicinity [31]. Two local government areas (one urban and one rural) were the study sites in the State. This study was conducted at the household level to enable the collection of demand-side information from respondents to support analysis
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