Dental Care Services in Children: Pattern and Factors for Delay in Seeking Care among Tanzanian Paediatric Dental Patients
Abstract
Seeking dental care services by responding to pain or potentially painful outcomes of advanced oral lesions impedes quality dental care for children. This study assessed patterns and factors associated to delay in seeking dental care among Tanzanian paediatric dental patients. It involved 312 child dental patient-escort pairs attending a university paediatric dental clinic in Tanzania. Structured questionnaires and clinical examination forms were used for collecting data. Frequency distributions, cross-tabulations and binary logistic regression were conducted to summarise the variables, test for the presence and magnitude of associations between delay in seeking care and socio-demographics plus dental services-related factors, respectively. Over two-thirds (68.6%) of the participants were delayed in seeking dental care; 45.2% were brought more than a month since the parents were informed or noted the child’s oral dental complaint. Delayed children were more likely to have had previous dental visits (OR =1.8 95% CI 1.1, 3.0) while less likely to require physically stabilised during the dental procedure (OR=0.5 95% CI 0.3, 1.0). In conclusion, the pattern and factors associated with delay in seeking care among Tanzanian paediatric dental patients were such that; most of the patients attended late, and dental-related factors explained the delay rather than the sociodemographic factors. Previous unsatisfactory dental experiences could explain the observation made. Ensuring quality of dental services provided, such as improving dental treatment outcomes and providing comprehensive dental care with enhanced preventive dental services
Downloads
References
Abegaz, N. T., Berhe, H., & Gebretekle, G. B. (2019). Mothers/caregivers healthcare seeking behavior towards childhood illness in selected health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a facility-based cross-sectional study. Bmc Pediatrics, 19(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-019-1588-2
Agbor, A. M. (2018). Reasons for Late Dental Consultations at the Central Hospital of Yaoundé. Cameroon. EC Dental Science, 17, 360- 367. https://www.ecronicon.com/ecde/pdf/ECDE-17-00626.pdf
BaniHani, A., Tahmassebi, J., & Zawaideh, F. (2021). Maternal knowledge on early childhood caries and barriers to seek dental treatment in Jordan. European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry, 22(3), 433-439. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-020-00576-0
Ibikunle, A. A., Taiwo, A. O., Braimah, R. O., Adamson, O., Fashina, A., & Bala, M. (2020). The challenge of late presentation by dental patients in our climes: Reasons behind the enigma. Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry, 18(3), 210. DOI: 10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_91_19
Ikpefan, D. O., Erhabor, P., & Azodo, C. C. (2020). Oral Health Awareness and Care Seeking Behaviours among Public and Private Dental Clinics Attendees: Oral Health Awareness and Care Seeking Behaviours among Dental Clinics Attendees. Nigerian Journal of Dental Sciences, 3(1), 9- 15. https://publications.nomiot.com.ng/index.php/njds/article/view/47/33.
Kusekwa, M., & Kikwilu, E. N. (2011). Reasons for late seeking of dental care among dental patients attending dental clinics at School of Dentistry MUHAS, Tanzania. Tanzania Dental Journal, 17(1), 7- 14. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/tdj/article/view/80030
Kvist, T., Annerbäck, E. M., & Dahllöf, G. (2018). Oral health in children investigated by Social services on suspicion of child abuse and neglect. Child abuse & neglect, 76, 515-523. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.11.017
Martens, L. C., Rajasekharan, S., Jacquet, W., Vandenbulcke, J. D., Van Acker, J. W. G., & Cauwels, R. G. E. C. (2018). Paediatric dental emergencies: a retrospective study and a proposal for definition and guidelines including pain management. European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry, 19(4), 245-253. doi: 10.1007/s40368-018-0353-9
Mhalu, G., Weiss, M. G., Hella, J., Mhimbira, F., Mahongo, E., Schindler, C., ... & Merten, S. (2019). Explaining patient delay in healthcare seeking and loss to diagnostic follow-up among patients with presumptive tuberculosis in Tanzania: a mixed-methods study. BMC health services research, 19(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4030-4
Msolla, R., Simon, E. N., Sohal, K. S., & Owibingire, S. S. (2019). Late reporting for health care among patients presenting with oral maxillofacial tumours or tumourlike lesions in Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania. Medical Journal of Zambia, 46(2), 109-116. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/mjz/article/view/188902
Mukhari-Baloyi, N. A., Ramphoma, K. J., Phalwane, M. G., & Motloba, P. D. (2021). Association of parental factors and delayed dental care for children. South African Dental Journal, 76(10), 607- 612. https://doi.org/10.17159/2519-0105/2021/v76no10a4
Lutfiyya, M. N., Gross, A. J., Soffe, B., & Lipsky, M. S. (2019). Dental care utilisation: examining the associations between health services deficits and not having a dental visit in past 12 months. BMC public health, 19(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6590-y
Ocwia, J., Olum, R., Atim, P., Laker, F., Okot, J., Sereke, S. G., ... & Bongomin, F. (2021). Oral health seeking behaviors of adults in Nebbi District, Uganda: a community-based survey. BMC oral health, 21(1), 1-7. doi: 10.1186/s12903-021-01824-5.
Olatosi, O. O., Onyejaka, N. K., Oyapero, A., Ashaolu, J. F., & Abe, A. (2019). Age and reasons for first dental visit among children in Lagos, Nigeria. Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 26(3), 158. DOI:10.4103/npmj.npmj_60_19
Oo, M. C., Tun, K. Z., Ko, K. K., & Aung, P. L. (2020). Delayed care-seeking and its underlying factors among patients with tuberculosis in Yangon, Myanmar. The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 14(06), 631-641. doi: 10.3855/jidc.12663.
Owibingire, S. S, Kamya, E. R., & Sohal, K. S. (2018). Misconceptions on Causes and Management of Dental Caries: Experience from Central Tanzanian Society. Annals of International Medical and Dental Research, 4(2):18. https://doi.org/10.21276/aimdr.2018.4.2.DE5
Shao, A. G., Kahabuka, F. K., & Mbawalla, H. S. (2016). Children’s behaviour in the dental setting according to Frankl behaviour rating and their influencing factors. J Dent Sci, 1(1), 1-12. https://journals.ekb.eg/article_78105_a50a809d290fde2c82a857ba6c689882.pdf
Soares, A. L. F. H., Ribeiro, C. C. C., Thomaz, E. B. A. F., Queiroz, R. C. S., Alves, C. M. C., Ferraro, A. A., ... & Saraiva, M. C. P. (2021). Socio-environmental determinants of the delay in the first dental visit: results of two population-based cohort studies in Brazil. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 54. doi: 10.1590/1414-431X202010161
United Republic of Tanzania. (2020). The United Republic of Tanzania the Second Guidelines for Provision of Oral Health Services in Tanzania. https://mercuryfreedentistry.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/tanzania-guidelines.pdf
Copyright (c) 2023 Hawa Shariff Mbawalla, PhD, Shadia Majid Abubakary, Febronia Kokulengya Kahabuka, PhD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
