https://doi.org/10.4081/acbr.2023.317
Factors influencing patients’ time of presentation to a dental clinic and pattern of sociodemographic influence in a tertiary health facility
Submitted: 18 March 2023
Accepted: 6 June 2023
Published: 11 August 2023
Accepted: 6 June 2023
Abstract Views: 247
PDF: 139
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Healthcare professionals should always encourage their patients to present early to the health facility for prompt treatment. Despite public health education on this matter, many patients still present late to the hospital. The study aimed to determine the factors influencing the time of presentation to a dental clinic and the sociodemographic effects of such factors. A total of 257 questionnaires were administered, of which 243 were correctly filled and returned, representing a response rate of 94.5%. The majority, 59.3%, presented because of pain, while 91.4% felt they presented late. Most of the respondents, 94(42.3%), cited trying other treatments as the reason for coming late. There were strong associations between reasons for coming late and some sociodemographic characteristics of respondents. Most patients seeking dental care present late and only do so when the pain is becoming unbearable, having tried other alternatives. Some sociodemographic characteristics of individuals showed a strong association with some reasons for presenting late.
Olawole W, Kanmodi K. Factors responsible for delayed presentation at the dental clinic of the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria. Med Univ 2019;2:12-20.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/medu-2019-0004
Kusekwa M, Kikwilu EN. Reasons for late seeking of dental care among dental patients attending dental clinics at School of Dentistry MUHAS, Tanzania. Tanzania Dent J 2011;17:7-14.
Armfield JM, Stewart JF, Spencer AJ. The vicious cycle of dental fear: exploring the interplay between oral health, service utilization and dental fear. BMC Oral Health 2007;7:1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6831-7-1
Kusekwa M, Kikwilu E. Reasons for late seeking of dental care among dental patients attending dental clinics at School of Dentistry MUHAS, Tanzania Tanzania Dent J 2011;17:7-14.
Anyanechi CE, Saheeb BD. Reasons underlying failure to seek early dental treatment among patients presenting in a Nigeria Tertiary Hospital. J Med Biomed Res 2013;12:37-45.
Zafar KJ, Ansar S, Sarwar N, et al. Oral hygiene practices and reasons for delaying dental treatment among patients attending a public-sector tertiary-care dental hospital Pak J Med Res 2020;59:70-4.
Ibikunle A, Taiwo A, Braimah R, et al. The challenge of late presentation by dental patients in our climes: reasons behind the enigma J Indian Assoc Public Heal Dent 2020;18:210.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_91_19
Olusile AO. Improving low awareness and inadequate access to oral health care in Nigeria: the role of dentists, the government & non-governmental agencies. Niger Med J 2010;51:134-6.
Bashiru BO, Omotunde SM. Burden of oral diseases and dental treatment needs of an urban population in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Eur J Gen Dent 2014;3:125-8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/2278-9626.134838
Akaji EA, Oredugba FA, Jeboda SO. Utilization of dental services among secondary school students in Lagos. Niger Dent J 2007;15:87-91.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ndj.v15i2.42110
Udoye CI, Oginni AO, Oginni FO. Dental anxiety among patients undergoing various dental treatments in a Nigerian teaching hospital. J Contemp Dent Pract 2005;6:91-8.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5005/jcdp-6-2-91
, Akhigbe KO, Koleoso ON. Trait anxiety, sex, age and dental treatment experience as determinants of dental anxiety among chronic dental patients in Nigeria. Eur Sci J 2014;10:316-28.
Patricia A, Opeyemi AB, Micah GO, et al. Management of dental anxiety: A survey of Nigerian dentists. Sahel Med J 2014;17:159-63.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1118-8561.146822
Kusekwa M, Kikwilu EN. Reasons for late seeking of dental care among dental patients attending dental clinics at School of Dentistry MUHAS, Tanzania. Tanzania Dent J 2011;17:7-14.
Msolla R, Simon EN, Sohal KS, Owibingire SS. Late reporting for health care among patients presenting with oral maxillofacial tumours or tumour-like lesions in Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania. Med J Zambia 2019;46:109-116.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55320/mjz.46.2.511
Lin CY, Hammash M, Miller JL, et al. Delay in seeking medical care for worsening heart failure symptoms: predictors and association with cardiac events.Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs 2021;20:454-63.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/eurjcn/zvaa032
Sachedina T, Sohal KS, Owibingire SS, Hamza OJM. Reasons for Delay in Seeking Treatment for Dental Caries in Tanzania. International Dental Journal 2023:73;296-301.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.identj.2022.07.012
Thomson WM, Locker D, Poulton R. Incidence of dental anxiety in young adults in relation to dental treatment experience. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2000;28:289-94.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0528.2000.280407.x
Rambabu T, Koneru S. Reasons for use and non-use of dental services among people visiting a dental hospital in urban India: a descriptive study. J Edu Heal Promot 2018;7:99.
Kanmodi KK, Owoeye OI, Ndubuizu GO. Caregiver reports on the socio-economic and safety issues associated with Sakkiya treatment: a survey of a neglected area in Nigerian healthcare. Int Public Health J 2018;10:197-203.
Ajayi DM, Abiodun-Solanke IM, Sulaiman AO, Ekhalufoh EF. A retrospective study of traumatic injuries to teeth at a Nigerian tertiary hospital. Niger J Clin Pract 2012;15:321-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.100631
Folaranmi N, Akaji E, Onyejaka N. Pattern of presentation of oral health conditions by children at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu: A retrospective study. Niger J Clin Pract 2014;17:47-50.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1119-3077.122836
Eigbobo JO, Etim SS. Trends in dental treatment of children at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Sahel Med J 2016;19:220-6.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1118-8561.196373
Onyejaka NK, Lawal BN, Okechukwu RA, et al. Pattern of patients’ attendance to the dental clinic of Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J 2018;29:151.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2018.29.151.14563
How to Cite
Omokhua, H., & Evbuomwan, R. (2023). Factors influencing patients’ time of presentation to a dental clinic and pattern of sociodemographic influence in a tertiary health facility. Annals of Clinical and Biomedical Research, 4(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/acbr.2023.317
Copyright (c) 2023 the Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.