Factors associated with utilization of oral health services among adults aged 18-70 years in Lira district, Northern Uganda: a community based cross-sectional study

Steven Ojok; Marvin Musinguzi; Eustes Kigongo; Anne Ruth Akello; Amir Kabunga; Marc Sam Opollo; Nelson Okello

doi:10.1186/s12903-024-05082-z

Factors associated with utilization of oral health services among adults aged 18-70 years in Lira district, Northern Uganda: a community based cross-sectional study

BMC Oral Health. 2024 Oct 30;24(1):1322. doi: 10.1186/s12903-024-05082-z.

Authors

Steven Ojok¹, Marvin Musinguzi², Eustes Kigongo³, Anne Ruth Akello³, Amir Kabunga⁴, Marc Sam Opollo¹, Nelson Okello⁵

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Public Health, Department of Community Health, Lira University, Lira, Uganda.
² Faculty of Public Health, Department of Community Health, Lira University, Lira, Uganda. mmusinguzi@lirauni.ac.ug.
³ Faculty of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health and Disease Control, Lira University, Lira, Uganda.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lira University, Lira, Uganda.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Lira University, Lira, Uganda.

Abstract

Background: Utilization of oral health services is a global public health challenge. Low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected. Uganda is one of the low- and middle-income countries where only 4% of the population has access to oral health services. Northern Uganda is one of the regions in the country with limited information about oral health utilization.

Objective: To assess factors associated with utilization of oral health services among adults aged 18-70 years in Lira district, Northern Uganda.

Methods: This was a quantitative cross-sectional study conducted in Lira District. Multistage sampling was used to select 576 respondents. Data was collected using a researcher-administered structured questionnaire that was adopted, modified, and pretested. Data was analyzed at three levels, including univariate, bivariate, and multivariate at 0.05 significance level.

Results: Of the 634 respondents, 576 responded, giving a 90.9% response rate. Results show that utilization of oral health services was 20.5% (118) among adults aged 18-70 years in 6 months. Predictors of utilization of oral services among this age group are: having not attended any formal education (AOR = 0.2, 95%CI 0.06-0.62), having poor attitudes towards oral health services (AOR = 0.55, 95%CI 0.34-0.89), having cultural influence on the utilization of the oral health services (AOR = 4.84, 95% CI 2.77-8.43), accessing the services from private not-for-profit facilities (AOR = 4.67, 95% CI 1.79-12.16), being un sure of the availability of the equipment used (AOR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.18-0.9), and availability of friendly services (AOR = 2.53, 95% CI 1.12-5.50).

Conclusions and recommendations: Utilization of oral health services is low in Lira district, with only 2 in 10 of the adults aged 18-70years of age utilizing oral health services in 6 months. To improve utilization, targeted health education campaigns should address cultural barriers and attitudes, while ensuring that public health facilities are better equipped and provide more user-friendly services.

Keywords: Oral health; Utilization.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dental Health Services* / statistics & numerical data
Educational Status
Female
Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Acceptance of Health Care / statistics & numerical data
Uganda
Young Adult