TY - JOUR
T1 - Health professionals oral health knowledge and practice
T2 - unleashing the hidden challenges
AU - Yimenu, Dawit Kumilachew
AU - Adelo, Eyerusalem Shello
AU - Siraj, Ebrahim Abdela
AU - Kassie, Tadael Assaye
AU - Woldeselassie Hammeso, Workineh
AU - Demeke, Chilot Abiyu
AU - Emiru, Yohannes Kelifa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Yimenu et al.
PY - 2020/5/7
Y1 - 2020/5/7
N2 - Objective: Dental disease is one of the major prevalent preventable public health challenges that resulted in a significant burden on children and adults. The aim of the current study was to identify oral health-related knowledge and practice among Bahir Dar community health care providers and the perceived barriers to oral health care services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used for data collection, and SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. A chisquare test was used to determine the association between study variables, and a P-value of less than 0.05 was considered to declare statistical significance. Results: A total of 281 interviews were conducted. Doctors had the highest mean knowledge score value of 4.67 followed by dentists with a mean score of 4.5. The majority of the study participants (59.4%) reported that they use a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste for brushing their teeth, and a statistically significant difference was observed between different types of health professionals. The majority of the study participants (80.1 and 70.8%) reported limited finances and lack of adequate health/dental insurance as a barrier to oral health care services, respectively. Conclusion: Oral health-related knowledge of health professionals in Bahir Dar city is low. Oral health topics must be incorporated into the health care professionals training programs and continuing medical education. Health professionals should master basic oral health related knowledge, and they should practice basic oral health care practices to become role models for their patients.
AB - Objective: Dental disease is one of the major prevalent preventable public health challenges that resulted in a significant burden on children and adults. The aim of the current study was to identify oral health-related knowledge and practice among Bahir Dar community health care providers and the perceived barriers to oral health care services. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used for data collection, and SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis. A chisquare test was used to determine the association between study variables, and a P-value of less than 0.05 was considered to declare statistical significance. Results: A total of 281 interviews were conducted. Doctors had the highest mean knowledge score value of 4.67 followed by dentists with a mean score of 4.5. The majority of the study participants (59.4%) reported that they use a toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste for brushing their teeth, and a statistically significant difference was observed between different types of health professionals. The majority of the study participants (80.1 and 70.8%) reported limited finances and lack of adequate health/dental insurance as a barrier to oral health care services, respectively. Conclusion: Oral health-related knowledge of health professionals in Bahir Dar city is low. Oral health topics must be incorporated into the health care professionals training programs and continuing medical education. Health professionals should master basic oral health related knowledge, and they should practice basic oral health care practices to become role models for their patients.
KW - Dental care
KW - Health practice
KW - Health professionals
KW - Oral health
KW - Tooth brushing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085296878&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2147/JMDH.S254964
DO - 10.2147/JMDH.S254964
M3 - Article
SN - 1178-2390
VL - 13
SP - 459
EP - 469
JO - Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
JF - Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
ER -