Health Status Of School Children Research Articles

Health status of School Children in a Tribal Colony near Bengaluru, Karnataka - A Cross Sectional Study.

Health status of School Children in a Tribal Colony near Bengaluru, Karnataka - A Cross Sectional Study.

Health in children during schooling

Introduction. The basis of preventive activities in pediatrics is medical examination, based on active dynamic monitoring of sick and healthy children. An important part of medical examination is preventive examinations, which are carried out with the aim of timely detection of deviations in the health status in children and the management of necessary treatment, preventive and health measures. Purpose of the study: based on the results of a dynamic 10-year observation, present the data on the health status of a single cohort of schoolchildren to update the main preventive areas for children’s practice over schooling process. Materials and methods. The study was conducted on the basis of a study of the health status of four hundred thirty seven schoolchildren at different stages of schooling (before entering school, at the end of first grade, during the transition to subject education and at the end of school education), according to a single protocol, on one sample and a single methodology with sequential multiple registration of selected indices of the health status in schoolchildren and annual analysis over a period of 10 years. Results. An analysis of the distribution of those examined cases by membership in health groups clearly demonstrated a decrease in the number of children in health groups I and II and an increase in schoolchildren in health groups III and IV. A dynamic assessment of diagnosed pathological conditions in their compliance with a certain ICD-10 class over a 10-year observation period revealed an increase in the proportion of schoolchildren suffering from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, the organ of vision, cardio- and endocrinopathies. Research limitations.The study has regional (Krasnoyarsk Territory) limitations and concerns 6 to 17 year children. Conclusion. The data obtained established the possibilities of early diagnosis in risk groups, and preventive measures aimed at developing healthy lifestyle skills in schoolchildren and their parents within the framework of priority national projects in Russia.

Study on the effects of short-term yoga practice on body composition, physical fitness, physiological variables, nutritional and mental health status of school children

Background and Aim: Physical inactivity may cause poor physical fitness, obesity, cardio-respiratory and mental illness. The present study was designed to find out the effects of short term yoga practice on body composition, physical fitness, physiological variables, nutrition and mental status of school children of 10 to 12 years. Materials and Methods: For the present study 120 volunteers (60 healthy female and 60 healthy male) within the age group of 10–12 years were screened randomly and were divided into: (a) Yoga Group (n = 60) and (b) Control Group (n = 60). Both these groups were sub-divided into (i) Male (n = 30) and (ii) Female (n = 30) volunteers. The volunteers of yoga group followed a yoga practice schedule of 1hr/day, 6 days/week for 6 weeks, with no yoga practice in control group. Body composition, physical fitness, physiological variables, nutrition and mental status were measured before (0 week) and after (6 weeks) training. Results: A significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in strength, flexibility, anaerobic power, VO2max, FVC, FEV1, PEFR; and decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in resting heart rate, blood pressure, depression, anxiety and stress scores were observed in both male and female volunteers after six weeks of yoga practice. Conclusion: Regular practice of yogic asana, pranayama, and meditation improves body composition, cardiovascular, respiratory, physical fitness, and reduces stress level.

Порівняльний аналіз показників фізичної підготовленості та рухової активностіу дівчаток 12–13 років з різною масою тіла

the prevalence of underweight is significant as up to 18 % of school-aged children suffer from insufficient body weight, and this problem is especially relevant for adolescent girls. Determining the relationship between insufficient body weight, physical fitness and the level of physical activity is important for characterizing the health status of school children. the aim of the study was to carry out a comparative analysis of indicators of physical fitness and physical activity in 12-13-year-old girls with different body weights. Methods: theoretical analysis of scientific and methodological literature on the studied problem and documentary materials, anthropometric methods (measurement of body weight and height), pedagogical methods (pedagogical testing), physical activity assessment (Framingham method), and mathematical statistics (descriptive statistics, discriminant, and variance analysis). the study involved 12-13-year-old girls (a total of 138 people, of which 108 were aged 12 and 30 were aged 13). Results. the comparative analysis demonstrated that the individual physical fitness indicators (standing long jump, sit-up, and 4 × 9 m shuttle run tests) were statis-tically significantly (p <0.05) different between 12-year-old girls with insufficient body weight and their peers with normal body weight. the revealed trends were observed also in 13-year-old girls. Physical activity indicators were statistically significantly (p <0.05) lower in 12-13-year-old girls with insufficient body weight compared to girls of the same age with normal body weight. Using discriminant analysis, the models were developed that allow to identify the negative effects of insufficient body weight on the development of 12-13-year-old girls based on the indicators of physical fitness and physical activity. Conclusions. Significant differences in the indicators of physical fitness and physical activity were demonstrated between 12-13-year-old adolescent girls with normal and insufficient body weight. the above makes it necessary to take these data into account when developing health-enhancing physical activity programs for girls with insufficient body weight.

Use of the World Health Organization primary eye care protocol to investigate the ocular health status of school children in Rwanda

To assess the ocular health status of primary and secondary schoolchildren in Rwanda and to explore the use of the World Health Organization (WHO) primary eye care screening protocol. This was a cross-sectional population-based study across 19 schools in Rwanda. Initial screening was carried out using the WHO screening protocol, whereby visual acuity was measured using a tumbling E Snellen chart (6/60 and 6/12). Abnormal ocular features were identified using a flashlight and history against a checklist. All children with abnormal screening were referred to an on-site ophthalmic clinic for full examination. Those who could not be treated on-site were referred to an ophthalmologist at a hospital for specialist care. A total of 24,892 children underwent ocular health screening. Of those, 1,865 (7.5%) failed the primary screening; 658 (2.6%) were false positives (35.3% of those who failed screening), and 1,207 (4.8%) true positives. The most frequently observed ocular diagnoses were allergic conjunctivitis (3.11%) and strabismus (0.26%). Refractive error was very rare (0.18%). The WHO primary eye care curriculum provides existing health personnel with an approach to school-based vision screening that uses a standardized checklist and low-cost resources. In our study cohort, results indicated a low frequency of refractive error; the overwhelming majority of ocular problems could be identified on visual inspection.

Generalized anxiety disorder in Berlin school children after the third COVID-19 wave in Germany: a cohort study between June and September 2021

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, children and adolescents worldwide have disproportionally been affected in their psychological health and wellbeing. We conducted a cohort study among German school children, aiming at assessing levels of general anxiety disorder (GAD) and identifying associated factors in the second pandemic year.MethodsA cohort of 660 students from 24 Berlin schools was recruited to fill in questionnaires including the GAD-7 tool on anxiety symptoms at three time points between June and September 2021. To adjust for non-random attrition, we applied inverse probability weighting. We describe reported GAD levels stratified by time point, sex, and school type and report odds ratios from univariate logistic regression.ResultsIn total, 551 participants (83%) filled in at least one questionnaire at any time point. At the first time point in June 2021, 25% of the children and adolescents reported anxiety symptoms with a GAD-7 score ≥ 5, decreasing to 16% in August 2021 directly after the summer holidays and rising again to 26% in September 2021. The majority of reported anxiety levels belonged to the least severe category. Being female, attending secondary school, coming from a household with lower education or with lower income level, and being vaccinated against COVID-19 were significantly linked with reporting anxiety symptoms. Preceding COVID-19 infection and anxiety were negatively associated.ConclusionOverall, anxiety in school children was lower in mid-2021 than in the first pandemic year, but still double compared to pre-pandemic data. Reporting of anxiety symptoms during the second pandemic year was especially high in females and in secondary school students. Policy makers should pay additional attention to the mental health status of school children, even as the pandemic situation might stabilize.

Health Problems among School Children: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study at District Swat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Background: Health status of school children and their school environment plays an important role in the development of physical and mental health, and good personnel behaviors had a significant role in future life of children. Objective: This study was conducted to estimate the frequency of health problems among school children of district Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. Methodology: This study was conducted in district Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Pakistan. A total of n=225 school children of age 4-12 years were selected and examined for health problems. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the health status of children regarding health problems. Results: Results showed that 45.56% of children had age < 8 years; 54.44% had age > 8 years; 81.33% of children parents had monthly income < PKR: 45000; 56% children living in mud-made homes; and 46.675 were underweight. Moreover, 15.56% of children had eye discharge; 28.89% backache; 8.44% ear discharge; 16.445 earaches; 47.11% poor oral hygiene status; 60.44% were not using toothbrush; and 22.67% had dental caries. Furthermore, 41.33% had not clean their hair and not took bath within last 48 hours; and 32.89% had poor nail hygiene status for the past one week. Conclusions: It was concluded that school children had several medical health problems and showed relationship with hygiene status of children, tooth-brushing use and its frequency, parents monthly income, and body mass index of children and thus adequate preventive, promotive and behavioral strategies were needed to reduce health problems among school going children. Keywords: School Children, Health Status, Underweight, Eye, Ear, Hygiene, Income, Swat, Kohat.

Nutritional and health status of a cohort of school-age children born to mothers treated for severe acute malnutrition in their childhood in The Democratic Republic of Congo.

BackgroundMalnutrition is a public health problem, but outside the theoretical framework, little is known about the concrete intergenerational effects of malnutrition.ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to compare the nutritional status and health indicators of school children born to mothers who were treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM).MethodologyThe study took place in Miti-Murhesa health zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is a cohort study assessing the nutritional and health status of school children born to mothers who had been treated for SAM, based on WHZ or edema, in Lwiro hospital between 1988–2002 compared to children born to mothers who were not exposed to SAM. Stunting and thinness were evaluated by Height for Age Z-score (HAZ) and Body Mass Index by Age criteria (BMIAZ) respectively. On admission, blood samples were taken to assess anemia, HIV serology, hemogram and others biological indicators. Stool’s examinations were conducted by using Olympus optical microscope. Parametric and non-parametric tests were applied to compare the different variables in two groups.ResultsWe identified 106 children aged 5–16 years (103 exposed and 58 unexposed) and we received 83.5% and 91.4% children respectively for anthropometric parameters. The mean of age was 7.9 ± 2.4 year in exposed group and 7.4 ± 2.1 year in unexposed group (p = 0.26). The prevalence of stunting was 68.3% in the exposed group and 67.3% in the unexposed group (p = 0.90). The prevalence of thinness was 12.8% in the exposed group and 9.6% in the unexposed group (p = 0.57). The biological profile (glycemia, urea, creatinine and hemogram) and the prevalence of intestinal parasites were similar in the two groups.ConclusionIn this sample, in a malnutrition-endemic area, there was no statistically significant difference in nutrition and health indicators between school children born to mothers exposed to SAM and their community controls.

A SCHOOL NURSING HEALTH SCREENING PROGRAM IN TURKEY: A PILOT STUDY

Aim: With the school health nursing screening program, which was carried out as a pilot study, it was aimed to examine the health status of school children and the affecting factors.
 Method: This study was conducted with 115 third- and fourth-grade students in a state primary school in Istanbul. Within the scope of the health screening program, the students underwent a three-stage evaluation including growth assessment, blood pressure measurement, and physical examination. Examination findings were recorded in a standard form and analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. 
 Results: It was determined that 18.3% of the students in the study were overweight and 17.3% were obese. Evaluation revealed dental caries in 53.9% of the students, vision problems in 35.7%, dirt in the outer ear/ear canal in 33.3%, runny nose in 27%, swollen lymph nodes in 14.8%, cough in 13%, nail biting in 11.3%, itchy skin in 9.6%, poor posture in 7%, and head lice or nits in 6.1%. Student age was associated with the prevalence of dental caries, nasal discharge, and dirt in the outer ear/ear canal (p ≤ 0.05). 
 Conclusion and Suggestions: The study results indicate that regular health screening is important in identifying student health problems, with dental caries, runny nose, and dirt in the outer ear/ear canal being the most important health problems detected during screening. In addition, it is noteworthy that the rates of overweight and obesity are high in children.

Impact of the “Culture of Health” Subject on the Health Status of School Children in Bishkek

Impact of the “Culture of Health” Subject on the Health Status of School Children in Bishkek

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Dental Caries among Basic School Children in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal: A Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Oral health problems of school children are one of the most common health related problem in the world. The prevalence of dental caries is significantly higher in school children. In Nepal, the morbidity of dental caries is very high among school children compared to other age groups. Dental caries is neglected at initial stages in children, but when the disease becomes progressive the treatment options being one of the most expensive and unaffordable. This study sought to identity the prevalence and associated risk factors of dental caries among basic school children age group from 6-12 years.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: Analytical cross-sectional study design was carried out among school children. . A semi-structured questionnaire was developed and face to face interview method was used to collect information from two public schools and two private schools of Kathmandu metropolitan City. Purposive sampling technique was applied. DMFT (Decayed, Missed, Filled, Teeth) index was adopted to measure mixed dentition, and also to assess the oral health status of school children. The collected data was entered and analyzed using IBM SPSS-20.
 RESULTS: Among 274 participants, there were equal number of female and male students (Female: 137, Male: 137), likewise the number of participants from public and private school was also equal. The prevalence of dental caries among school children was found to be 55.84% and there was significant association between frequency of brushing with dental caries (p=0.001). 176 (64.2%) of the participants consumed normal food, 56 (20.4%) consumed junk food and 39 (14.2%) consumed spicy food. The consumption of different food types played a significant role in the occurrence of dental caries.
 CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of brushing and types of food consumption are significantly associated with the higher prevalence of dental caries among school children. Regular dental check-up and good brushing practice can reduce the prevalence of dental caries in school children. Hence, continuous oral health programs including demonstration of proper brushing technique along with oral health awareness programs at school can help to reduce the burden of dental caries among school children.

Morbidity, its Patterns and Associated Factors among School Children Residing in a North Indian City

INTRODUCTION: Children are the pillars of the future of a country shall rest, are no less than a treasure and need to be as healthy as possible. AIM: To assess the health status of school children in various areas of Una city, Himachal Pradesh, India. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The present study was conducted among school children aged 7-18 present on the day of the study. Data collected was cross-sectionally using a pre-validated and pre-tested questionnaire duly standardized prior to commencement of the study. The first section of the questionnaire contained details about the demographic profile, and in the second, the examiners recorded the presence or absence of common childhood diseases, namely pallor, lymphadenopathy (L.N.), Bitot spots, Worm infections, Scabies, Ear discharge, Dental caries and Fluorosis. Statistical analysis included the Shapiro-wilk test to check for data normalcy, followed by descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation. Significance value (p) was kept significant at ≤0.5. RESULTS: Most children belonged to the age group of 12-15 years (42.8%), followed by 7-11 years(34.3%) and 16-18 years(22.9%). Majority of the students were girls (61.5%) and most them belonged to the age group of 12-15 years(41.0%). Disease in any from was observed in 813 (76.2%) of the children, with the most prevalent disease observed being dental caries (32.3%), followed by fluorosis (20.5%) and pallor (14.3%). Pearson’s correlation revealed a strong, positive association between the disease status and age (0.7) and gender (0.8). CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate the need to have various specific programmes to reduce the burden of various diseases, namely dental caries and pallor among school children through efforts of various programmes.

Evaluation of health appraisal project of primary school children: a study in Egypt.

School Health insurance (SHI) is working in Egypt since 2003. However, there were no impact indicators that inform policy makers about health status of school children. Therefore, the school health project was conducted by Arab Medical Union (AMU) Medical Syndicate in cooperation with Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP) and Public Health Department, Cairo University to conduct comprehensive medical services to primary school children and to assess the impact of the SHI and the efficiency of AMU project to promote health of children. In-depth interview with policy makers in MOHP, MOE, SHI and secondary analysis of AMU documents. A systematic random sample of 7000 students (7-10 years) was selected which formed 10% of the examined children in AMU project and proportionally distributed in 355 schools in seven Districts in Fayoum Governorate. SHI was ineffective in providing preventive services to school children. The AMU project was efficient in covering 82% of the targeted students with clinical, preventive and referral services with estimated cost per student were 54.8LE. Clinical findings showed anaemia the major problem (84%), dental (33%), hair/scalp (9%) and visual errors (6%). The current Primary Health Care facilities needs to improve the quality preventive and curative health services provided to school children. Also, providing health services through medical conveys was of high cost and unsustainable.

Health and nutritional status of school children from a rural area of Andhra Pradesh

Background: Healthy children build a wealthy nation. Good health of children is of paramount importance to the nation’s growth. Health and nutritional status of school children is highly variable from one region to another due to different environmental, socioeconomic and cultural factors. Hence health status of school children from each area should be assessed periodically so that relevant health programmes can be applied to prevent common morbidities such as malnutrition, infections and infestations. Methods: A cross sectional study of 500 rural school children from 5 to 15 years was conducted to assess the nutritional status by anthropometry and health status by clinical examination.Results: Out of the 500 school children 46.8% girls, 71.4% were 5 to 10 years old, 70.2% studying in 1st to 5th class. 33.4% were stunted. 25.6% and 27% were underweight according to weight and Body mass index criteria respectively. Common health problems among school children in this study were anemia (31%), dental caries (27.2%), upper respiratory infections (13.4%), skin infections and scabies (12.6%), head lice infestation (6.8%), refractive errors (6%) and ear discharge (5.2%).Conclusions: Though the pattern of nutritional and health problems were same in different studies, the severity of them varied from region to region. Hence periodic screening of school children to identify them and to apply relevant health programmes goes a long way in reducing such morbidities.

Education and Diet in the Scientific Literature: A Study of the Productive, Structural, and Dynamic Development in Web of Science

Nutrition-related education is necessary to protect and improve the health status of schoolchildren and to minimize the risk of future diseases. The objective of this research was to analyze the trajectory and transcendence of the concepts “education” and “diet” in the Web of Science literature. The methodology focused on bibliometry, analyzing both the performance and the structural and dynamic development of the concepts through a co-word analysis. A total of 1247 documents were analyzed, and the results show that scientific production experienced a turning point in 2009, in comparison to the level of production reported in previous years. The medium of papers and the language of English were the most common. In relation to the research topic, before 2014, scientific production focused on medical and disease-related aspects; however, since 2014, it has focused on disease prevention and feeding. It was therefore concluded that the theme “diet and education” has been researched for more than 20 years, although it is only in the last decade that it has become more relevant—particularly studies focusing on disease prevention and the type of food, specifically fruit, which is presented as the most outstanding issue for researchers in this field of knowledge.

Assessment of Oral Hygiene Status by Using Disclosing Agents to Schoolchildren from Rural Areas

Poor oral hygiene, in terms of gingival bleeding and increasing accumulation of plaque and calculus with increasing age, have been reported among school-aged children, in both developed- and developing countries, causing unsatisfactory oral health among children. The aim of this study was to determine oral hygiene status by calculating Oral Hygiene Index -Simplified (OHI-S), using disclosing agents, and to examine whether socio-economic and behavioral correlates of oral hygiene status, in school children from rural areas, N-W Romania. For the highlighting of the bacterial plaque were used two tone dental plaque disclosing agent, which contains Erythrosine and Brilliant Blue FCF. The OHI-S index is divided according to its values in several categories as follows: very good hygiene = OHI-S Index between 0 and 1; good hygiene = OHI-S Index between 1.1 and 2; unsatisfactory hygiene = OHI-S Index between 2.1 and 3; poor hygiene = Index OHI-S between 3.1 and 6. The average value of the OHI-S index in children in rural areas of N-W Romania was 1.78, a higher value than most of the values identified in the bibliographical references. Using disclosing agents may improve oral health status in schoolchildren, by increasing the awareness of their personal oral hygiene condition.

Effectiveness of different modes of school dental health education on the oral health status of children - an interventional study with 2-year follow-up

ABSTRACTThe aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness of three modes of school dental health education (SDHE) and the two frequencies of reinforcements, on the oral health status of children. Three hundred and sixty school children aged 8 to 9 years participated in this study. Dental caries (dft/DMFT), oral hygiene (OHI-S) and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) scores were recorded by a calibrated investigator. The interventions included three different modes of SDHE (drama, game and flashcards). One mode of SDHE was randomly allotted to each school. Children were randomly sub-divided based on the frequency of reinforcement provided (3 months and 6 months). Post-intervention data were collected after 2 years. There was a significant reduction in the dft [drama (p = 0.006), game (p = 0.001) and flashcards (p = 0.002)] and OHI-S scores [drama and game (p < 0.001) and flashcards (p = 0.01)] and significant improvement in the total OHRQoL scores [drama (p = 0.001), game (p = 0.016) and flashcards (p = 0.023)] in all the three modes. Children who received game mode SDHE every 3 months had a significantly higher number of filled primary teeth (p = 0.03) compared to children who received the reinforcement every 6 months. All three modes were effective in improving the oral health status of school children. Game mode had the highest impact followed by drama and flashcard modes. Reinforcements given every 3 months using the game mode had a positive influence on the oral health of these children. Health educators must focus on child-friendly modes to make the health information more retentive.

NEW APPROACHES TO HELPING CHILDREN AT THE CHILDREN’S CITY ADVISORY-DIAGNOSTIC CENTER

There are presented data of a comprehensive study of the health status of schoolchildren, there is given the characteristics of their physical and neuropsychic development, as well as the morbidity rate of children, with taking into account sequellae of perinatal lesions of the central nervous system. In children with chronic somatic pathology, neurological disorders and disorders of the psychoemotional sphere were established to be often detected. This determines the need for a comprehensive neuro- and psychosomatic approach to their treatment and rehabilitation. One of the forms of personification of medical and social assistance for such children was shown to be a modular approach allowing form complex programs consisted of these modules for correction of various health disorders. The use of these modules has prospects, as it optimizes the activity of consulting and diagnostic centers.

Prevalence of Ectoparasitic Infections and Other Dermatological Infections and Their Associated Factors among School Children in Gampaha District, Sri Lanka.

Skin disorders are one of the commonest conditions among school children in developing countries. There are only a few published studies available from Sri Lanka on the prevalence of skin disorders. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out among five government-run schools randomly selected from the district of Gampaha, Sri Lanka, during 2016-2017. A total of 41 students between 5 and 16 years of age were randomly selected from each school. Sociodemographic profile and hygienic behaviors of selected students were assessed using a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Students were examined by a medical officer for the presence of different skin disorders. The chi-squared test of association and binary logistic regression were used for the identification of the significance of socioeconomic factors and hygienic practices among the study participants. A total of 205 school children participated in the study. The commonest skin disorder was pediculosis (42.0%; n=86), followed by dandruff (8.3%; n=17), fungal infections (6.8%; n=14), and scabies (1.5%; n=3). Almost one-fourth of the study participants (22.9%; n=30/131) had more than one disorder, majored by Pediculus captis infestation with dandruff. Over one-third (36.1%; n=74) were free of any skin disorders. The prevalence of skin disorders was significantly high among females (87.3%; n=110), compared to males (26.6%; n=21). Presence of long hair, higher family size, and limited number of rooms in the house were risk factors associated with the prevalence of skin disorders. The commonest skin disorder was pediculosis, while scabies and fungal infections were scarce among school children in the district of Gampaha, Sri Lanka. Implementation of health education and monitoring programs at the school level for maintaining the dermal health status of school children is recommended.

Prevalence of dental caries, oral health awareness and treatment-seeking behavior of elderly population in rural Maharashtra.

There have been numerous studies of oral health status of school children and young population; however, similar studies in elderly population in India are lacking. With advances in medical science and consequent increase in life expectancy, elderly population is on the rise and is a subject of growing concern for public health policy. Hence, an attempt was made to study factors influencing decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index, oral health awareness, and dental treatment-seeking behavior of elderly population. A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted between September 2014 and December 2014 in villages in rural Maharashtra. Sociodemographic and health-related information were collected from 352 participants 60 years of age and above in 10 villages. Prevalence of dental caries was 76.4% in a study population with median DMFT score of 12 with interquartile range of 7-22. The majority of the participants cleaned their teeth with fingers using charcoal and mishri. Only 17.2% participants used toothbrush. About 39% participants had experienced dental pain, of which majority did not visit dentist. The median DMFT index who used toothbrush and toothpaste was significantly less when compared with participants who did not use tooth brush and tooth paste. The majority of the participants had one or more missing teeth, but only 2.2% were using dentures. There is an urgent need for comprehensive oral health educational programs, and accessible and affordable oral health services to be provided to rural community.