Assessment of treatment needs, barriers, and self-perception regarding oral health among female university students: a cross-sectional study.

Autor: Rana BK; Global Health Department Health Services Academy, Islamabad, Pakistan., Kiyani A; Oral Medicine Department, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan., Hassan S; Periodontology Department, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan. sobia.hassan@riphah.edu.pk., Masood R; Oral Pathology Department, Riphah International University, Islamabad, Pakistan., Javed MQ; Department of Conservative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Qassim University, P.O. Box 1162, Buraidah, 51452, Qassim, Saudi Arabia., Abulhamael AM; Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80209, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia., Atique S; College of Dental Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, 2713, Qatar., Zafar MS; Department of Restorative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Taibah University, Al Madina, Al Munawarrah, 41311, Saudi Arabia.; Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, 346, United Arab Emirates.; School of Dentistry, University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan.; Department of Dental Materials, Islamic International Dental College, Riphah International University, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: BMC oral health [BMC Oral Health] 2024 Aug 02; Vol. 24 (1), pp. 883. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 02.
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04658-z
Abstrakt: Background: The study aimed to compare the self-perceived oral health status measured through a self-administered questionnaire with clinically determined oral health status measured by decayed-missing-filled teeth (DMFT) and community periodontal index of treatment need (CPITN) indices in university going females. In addition, access barriers to treatment related to oral healthcare were also determined.
Methods: A 3-month analytical cross-sectional study was designed for consenting university going females (aged 18-22 years) in Islamabad, Pakistan. The self-perceived oral health was recorded through a questionnaire requesting information regarding socio-demographics, self-perception of oral health, frequency of dental visits and barriers to seeking oral health. Seven independent examiners performed intraoral clinical examination and assessed the oral health status using globally standardized oral health assessment indices (DMFT and CPITN).
Results: A total of 400 students were included in the final sample. The study revealed a significant disparity between self-perceived oral health and clinical assessment. Although perceived oral health was considered "good" by 80.0% of the respondents, clinical examination revealed moderate DMFT scores (mean 2.95 ± 1.41) and periodontal disease requiring treatment in 89.5% of the individuals. The most common barriers in seeking dental care were lack of knowledge, dental phobia, affordability issue and false self-perception.
Conclusion: The present study demonstrated a notable discrepancy between self-perception of oral health and clinically assessed oral health. These results emphasize the importance of focused educational programs and community outreach programs, especially directed towards this demographic. Prioritizing such initiatives will help individuals to recognize their actual oral health condition thus encouraging positive oral health behaviors and outcomes.
(© 2024. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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