Perceived importance of oral health among patients attending Katutura Hospital general outpatient department and dental clinic, Namibia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2340/aos.v85.46511Keywords:
Dental clinic, Namibia, oral health, service utilizationAbstract
Objective: To examine determinants of oral health knowledge, perceived oral health status, perceived dental needs, and clinically assessed tooth decay among adults attending Katutura Hospital, Namibia.
Material and methods: A cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted among adults attending the dental clinic and general outpatient department. Of 660 invited participants, 639 were included in the final analysis (response rate 96.8%). Data were collected using structured questionnaires assessing socio-demographic characteristics, oral health knowledge, oral hygiene practices, perceived oral health status, and perceived dental needs. Clinical oral examinations were performed to assess tooth decay. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors independently associated with the outcomes.
Results: Most participants (89.7%) demonstrated good oral health knowledge. Tertiary education was the only independent predictor of good oral health knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.47; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.54–3.97) and was associated with lower odds of tooth decay (AOR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.27–0.57). Brushing twice or more daily was significantly associated with good self-rated oral health (AOR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.45–2.84). Employment status was inversely associated with perceived dental needs (AOR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51–0.99).
Conclusions: Education was the principal determinant of oral health knowledge and clinical tooth decay, while oral hygiene practices influenced perceived oral health. Strengthening oral health promotion and improving access to preventive services may reduce inequalities and unmet dental needs in Namibia.
Downloads
References
Leng Y, Hu Q, Ling Q, Yao X, Liu M, Chen J, et al. Periodontal disease is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease independent of sex: a meta-analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2023;10:1114927. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1114927
Trullenque-Eriksson A, Tomasi C, Eeg-Olofsson K, Berglundh T, Petzold M, Derks J. Periodontitis in patients with diabetes and its association with diabetes-related complications. A register-based cohort study. BMJ Open. 2024;14(7):e087557. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-087557
Ministry of Health and Social Services. National oral health survey:Namibia 2010/11. Windhoek: Ministry of Health and Social Ser-vices;2013. Available from: http://www.healthnet.org.na
Banu A, Șerban C, Pricop M, Urechescu H, Vlaicu B. Dental health between self-perception, clinical evaluation and body image dissatisfaction – a cross-sectional study in mixed dentition pre-pubertal children. BMC Oral Health. 2018;18(1):74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-018-0542-2
Yaddanapalli SC, Parveen Sultana SK, Lodagala A, Babu PC, Ravoori S, Pachava S. Oral healthcare-seeking behavior and perception of oral health and general healthcare among WHO indexed age groups in East-Coast India. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(7):3600–6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_350_20
Jessani A, Quadri MFA, Lefoka P, El-Rabbany A, Hooper K, Lim HJ, et al. Oral health status and patterns of dental service utilization of adolescents in Lesotho, Southern Africa. Children (Basel). 2021;8(2): 120. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/children8020120
Makubalo M. Perceptions on the factors influencing oral health care seeking behaviour of communities in Randfontein, Gauteng, South Africa [master’s thesis]. Bellville (ZA): University of the Western Cape; 2012.
Osadolor OO, Akaji EA, Otakhoigbogie U, Amuta HC, Obi Obi DI, Osadolor AJ. Dental service utilization of a rural population in Nigeria. Int J Dentistry Res. 2019;4(2):62–5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31254/dentistry.2019.4206
Corchuelo-Ojeda J, González Pérez GJ, Casas-Arcila A. Factors associated with self-perception in oral health of pregnant women. Health Educ Behav. 2022;49(3):516–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/10901981211038903
Hemmalin R, Swikant S, Gaurav S, Ekagrata M. Exploring determinants of care-seeking behavior of oral cancer patients in India: a qualita-tive content analysis. Cancer Epidemiol. 2018;53:41–148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canep.2018.01.019
Shimufeni A. Namibia population and housing census main report. Namibian Statistic Agency, Windhoek, Namibia; 2024.
Rinjewile NM. Factors influencing utilization of Oral Health Services in Lesotho. University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa; 2017.
American Student Dental Association. Available from: https:// www.asdanet.org/index/getinvolved/advocate/issues-and- legislative-priorities/B [Cited date: 2026]
Patel KH, Nair VS, Kalra DD, Shetty V. Cultural and socioeconomic barriers in utilization of dental services: a cross-sectional questionnaire based study. Ntl J Community Med. 2016;7(10):807–10.
FDI statement. Improving access to oral health care. Fédération Dentaire Internationale. Int Dent J. 1998;48(6):549–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595X.1998.tb00490.x
Akaji Ea, Oredugba F, Jeboda So. Utilization of dental services among secondary school students in Lagos. Niger Dent J. 2007;15(2):87–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ndj.v15i2.42110
An R, Wu Z, Liu M, Zhao Y, Chen W. Oral health behavior and oral health service utilization among cancer patients in China: a multicenter cross-sectional study. Front Oncol. 2023;13:1027835. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2023.1027835
Quadri FA, Jafari FA, Albeshri AT, Zailai AM. Factors influencing patients’ utilization of dental health services in Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2018;11(1):29–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5005/jp-journals-10005-1479
Uguru N, Uzochukwu B, Uguru C, Onwujekwe O. Determinants and inequities in the utilization of routine oral health care services in South-east Nigeria. IOSR J Dent Med Sci. 2016;15(4):69–74.
Peres MA, Macpherson LMD, Weyant RJ, Daly B, Venturelli R, Mathur MR, et al. Oral diseases: a global public health challenge. Lancet. 2019;394(10194):249–60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)31146-8
Schwendicke F, Dörfer CE, Schlattmann P, Page LF, Thomson WM, Paris S. Socioeconomic inequality and caries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Dent Res. 2015;94(1):10–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034514557546
Celeste RK, Nadanovsky P, Leon AP. Association between socioeconomic position and untreated dental caries in adults: a multilevel ap-proach. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2011;39(5):427–36.
Petersen PE, Ogawa H. The global burden of periodontal disease: towards integration with chronic disease prevention and control. Perio-dontology. 2012;60:15–39. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0757.2011.00425.x
World Health Organization. World health statistics 2019: monitoring health for the SDGs, sustainable development goals. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2019. Available from: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/324835
Reda SF, Reda SM, Thomson WM, Schwendicke F. Inequality in utilization of dental services: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Public Health. 2018;108(2):e1–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2017.304180
Locker D, Allen F. What do measures of ‘oral health-related quality of life’ measure? Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2007;35(6):401–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.2007.00418.x
Imade JA, Naidoo S. Social gradient in the cost of oral pain and related dental service utilisation among South African adults. BMC Oral Health. 2016;16(1):117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-016-0313-x
Varenne B, Petersen PE, Ouattara S. Oral health behaviour of children and adults in urban and rural areas of Burkina Faso, Africa. Int Dent J. 2006;56(2):61–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1875-595X.2006.tb00075.x
Ghaffari M, Rakhshanderou S, Ramezankhani A, Noroozi M, Armoon B. Oral health education and promotion programmes: meta-analysis of 17-year intervention. Int J Dent Hyg. 2018;16(1):59–67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.12304
Levine R, Stillman-Lowe C. The scientific basis of oral health education. 8th ed. 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98207-6
Tobias CR, Lemay CA, Jeanty Y, Umez-Eronini AA, Reznik DA. Factors associated with preventive dental care-seeking behavior among people living with HIV. Wiley Periodicals LLC, Hoboken, New Jersey. J Public Health Dent. 2012;72(1):60–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-7325.2011.00284.x
Rastenienė R, Aleksejūnienė J, Pūrienė A. Dental treatment needs and health care-seeking behaviours of patients with acute odontogenic infections in Lithuania. Int Dent J. 2015;65(4):188–95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/idj.12168
Pattussi MP, Peres KG, Boing AF, Peres MA, da Costa JS. Self-rated oral health and associated factors in Brazilian adults. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2010;38(4):348–59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.2010.00542.x
Benyamini Y, Leventhal H, Leventhal EA. Self-rated oral health as an indicator of oral health status, quality of life, and health service utilization. J Am Dent Assoc. 2004;135(11):1491–7.
Horowitz AM, Kleinman DV. Oral health literacy: the new imperative to better oral health. Dent Clin North Am. 2008;52(2):333–44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cden.2007.12.001
Baskaradoss JK. Relationship between oral health literacy and oral health status. BMC Oral Health. 2018;18:172. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-018-0640-1
Petersen PE. The World Oral Health Report 2003: continuous improvement of oral health in the 21st century. Community Dent Oral Epi-demiol. 2003;31 Suppl 1:3–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j..2003.com122.x
Kay E, Locker D. Effectiveness of oral health promotion: a review. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1996;24(4):231–5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.1996.tb00850.x
Watt RG, Sheiham A. Inequalities in oral health: a review of the evidence and recommendations for action. Br Dent J. 1999;187(1):6–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4800191a
Listl S, Galloway J, Mossey PA, Marcenes W. Global economic impact of dental diseases. J Dent Res. 2015;94(10):1355–61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022034515602879
Marinho VCC, Higgins JPT, Sheiham A, Logan S. Fluoride toothpastes for preventing dental caries in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;1:CD002278. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002284
Davies RM, Davies GM, Ellwood RP. Prevention. Part 4: toothbrushing: what advice should be given to patients? Br Dent J. 2003;195(3): 135–41. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4810396
Petersen PE, Kwan S. Equity, social determinants and public health programmes – the case of oral health. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2011;39(6):481–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0528.2011.00623.x
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Juvenary John Rutabanzibwa, Andrew Ross
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Acta Odontologica Scandinavica publishes high quality original research papers as well as critical reviews relevant on diseases of the oral cavity, their treatment, epidemiology and associated biomaterials and their development.
