Pattern of dental services utilization among adolescents and adults in Kano, Northern Nigeria

Submitted: 7 October 2023
Accepted: 22 February 2024
Published: 2 May 2024
Abstract Views: 233
PDF: 94
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.

Authors

Nigeria is often conveniently described along geographical lines as North and South, each with its peculiar culture, predominant religion, and distinctive determinants of health. Available oral health information for Nigeria is derived from studies that have mainly been conducted in southern Nigeria. This study describes oral care-seeking behavior in northern Nigeria by analyzing the attendance pattern at a tertiary hospital over a period. Clinic records of patients who visited the Oral Diagnostic Sciences (ODS) clinic in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, were retrieved and retrospectively reviewed. Data on age, sex, ethnicity, and chief dental complaints were extracted and analyzed using SPSS version 20 (IBM Corp.; Armonk, NY, USA). The clinic records of 1,620 patients were reviewed, and the results showed that more males than females visited the clinic (55.4%), and dental pain was the most common reason for visiting the clinic (57.1%). Young adults and youths comprised the majority of patients, while the elderly population was the least represented. The study reveals dental healthcare utilization patterns in Kano, Nigeria, with sex differences reflecting sociocultural factors influencing health behaviors. The high proportion of dental pain cases highlights the need for preventive oral health efforts. The association between young/middle-aged individuals and dental trauma highlights occupational hazards and lifestyle as key determinants of dental health outcomes.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

Peres MA, Macpherson LMD, Weyant RJ, et al. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. The Lancet. 2019;394:249-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31146-8
Adeniyi AA, Sofola OO, Kalliecharan RV. An appraisal of the oral health care system in Nigeria. Int Dent J. 2012;62:292-300. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595X.2012.00122.x
Petersen PE, Bourgeois D, Ogawa H, et al. The global burden of oral diseases and risks to oral health. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2005;83:661-9.
Rautemaa R, Lauhio A, Cullinan MP, Seymour GJ. Oral infections and systemic disease—an emerging problem in medicine. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. 2007;13:1041-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2007.01802.x
Nwhator SO, Opeodu OI, Ayanbadejo PO, et al. Could periodontitis affect time to conception? Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research. 2014;4:817-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/2141-9248.141567
Nwhator SO, Umeizudike KA, Ayanbadejo PO, et al. Another reason for impeccable oral hygiene: oral hygiene-sperm count link. J Contemp Dent Pract. 2014;15:352-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5005/jp-journals-10024-1542
GBD 2017 Oral Disorders Collaborators, Bernabe E, Marcenes W, et al. Global, regional, and national levels and trends in burden of oral conditions from 1990 to 2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease 2017 study. J. Int. Dent. 2020;99:362-73.
Uguru N, Onwujekwe O, Uguru C, et al. Oral health-seeking behaviour among different population groups in Enugu Nigeria. PLoS One. 2021;16:e0246164. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246164
Jeboda SO. Implications of low dental awareness in Nigeria. Nigerian Dental Journal. 2008;16:43-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ndj.v16i1.42124
Gbolahan OO, Fasola AO, Aladelusi TO. Attitude and behaviour to oral health of 456 patients who presented for tooth extraction at two health facilities in Southwestern Nigeria. J. Patient Exp. 2019:157-63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/2374373518788851
Lawal FB, Ibiyemi O, Taiwo JO, Oke GA. Dental care seeking behaviour of children in a rural Nigerian community. Afr J Med Med Sci. 2016;45:143-9.
Ernest MA, Adeyemi MF, Bolarinwa OA, Alabi KM. Oral health seeking behavior among patients attending outpatient clinic in University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) Ilorin. Int. J. Health Sci. Res. 2022;10:80-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/rejhs.v10i2.2
Taiwo OA, Soyele OO, Ndubuizu GU. Pattern of utilization of dental services at federal medical centre, Katsina, Northwest Nigeria. Sahel Med. J. 2014;17:108. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1118-8561.140294
Raheem WM, Oyeleye OI, Adeniji MA, Aladekoyi OC. Regional imbalances and inequalities in Nigeria: Causes, consequences and remedies. Int. J. Humanit. Soc. Sci. 2014;4:163-74.
Osadolor OO, Akaji EA, Otakhoigbogie U, et al. Dental service utilization of a rural population in Nigeria. Int J Dent Res. 2019;4:62-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31254/dentistry.2019.4206
Soroye MO, Aikins EA, Eigbobo JO, Umanah AU. Utilization of dental services among a selected population in a rural community in South-South, Nigeria. The Nigerian Health Journal. 2021;21:20-7.
Ajayi EO, Ajayi YO. Utilization of dental services in a population of Nigerian university students. Nigerian Dental Journal. 2007;15:83-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ndj.v15i2.42109
Adeniyi AA, Oyapero A. Predisposing, enabling and need factors influencing dental service utilization among a sample of adult Nigerians. Population Medicine. 2020;2:1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18332/popmed/128504
Onyejaka NK, Folayan MO, Folaranmi N. Barriers and facilitators of dental service utilization by children aged 8 to 11 years in Enugu State, Nigeria. BMC Health Services Research. 2016;16:1-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-016-1341-6
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Available from: https://akth.gov.ng/wp/about/
World Health Organization. Oral health surveys: basic methods. 2013. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241548649
Osamor P, Grady C. Factors associated with women’s health care decision-making autonomy: empirical evidence from Nigeria. J. Biosoc. Sci. 2018;50:70-85. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021932017000037
Okolo CC, Adeyemo YI, Oguchi CO, et al. An analysis of the practice of accompanying paediatric patients for dental treatment in Kano, Nigeria. Niger J Med. 2022;31:581-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/NJM.NJM_96_22
Barau AS, Maconachie R, Ludin AN, Abdulhamid A. Urban morphology dynamics and environmental change in Kano, Nigeria. Land Use Policy. 2015;42:307-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2014.08.007
Al-Johani K, Lamfon H, Abed H, Beyari M. Common chief complaints of dental patients at Umm AL-Qura University, Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. Oral Health Dent Manag. 2017;16:1-4.
Masiga MA. Presenting chief complaints and clinical characteristics among patients attending the Department of Paediatric Dentistry Clinic at the University of Nairobi Dental Hospital. East Afr Med J. 2005;82:652-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/eamj.v82i12.9372
Bartley EJ, Fillingim RB. Sex differences in pain: a brief review of clinical and experimental findings. Br. J. Anaesth. 2013;111:52-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bja/aet127
Okolo CC, Oredugba FA, Denloye OO, Adeyemo YI. The risk factors and pattern of traumatic dental injuries in 10–12-year-olds in Kano, Nigeria. Niger Postgrad Med J. 2022;29:272-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/npmj.npmj_145_22
Lipsky MS, Su S, Crespo CJ, Hung M. Men and oral health: a review of sex and gender differences. Am J Mens Health. 2021;15:1-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883211016361
Su S, Lipsky MS, Licari FW, Hung M. Comparing oral health behaviours of men and women in the United States. J. Dent. 2022;122:104-57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2022.104157

How to Cite

Aborisade, Adetayo, Chizoba Okolo, Rabiu Aminu, Hailey Moghalu, Nafisat Aminu, and Babatunde Bamgbose. 2024. “Pattern of Dental Services Utilization Among Adolescents and Adults in Kano, Northern Nigeria”. Pyramid Journal of Medicine 7 (1). https://doi.org/10.4081/pjm.2024.379.