IADR Abstract Archives
Roles of community pharmacists in improving oral health awareness in Plateau State, northern Nigeria
Objectives: There is poor oral health awareness in Nigeria. This is mainly attributed to limited access to correct information on oral health as well as a lack of oral health care providers. The impact of the poor oral health awareness is worse in Northern Nigeria due to the uneven distribution of oral health care workers and training facilities. The purpose of this study was to describe the roles of community pharmacists (CPs) in Plateau State, Nigeria as sources of oral health information.
Methods: Quantitative cross sectional study on CPs spanning all 17 Local Government Areas in Plateau State. Data collection was the survey method using paper based self-administered questionnaires.
Results: A one sample t-test to assess the knowledge of CPs on oral health showed that they were knowledgeable on oral health and had a very good disposition towards engaging in oral health prevention services M = 17.2, SD = 2.44, t(112) = 5.14, p < .001. Though they presently provide some oral health services to patients with oral health problems, 94.7% were willing to do more to advance the cause of oral health care. A binary logistic regression conducted to evaluate if some demographic variables could predict CP’s interest in becoming more involved in provision of services on oral health problems was not statistically significant, χ2 (7) = 7.72, (p > 0.05), Cox and Snell R2 = .08.
Conclusions: The disposition of CPs towards oral health could serve as a platform to help propagate oral health care and awareness in their communities. Engaging the CPs might help reduce oral health disparities by increasing oral health awareness, improving oral health-seeking behavior and oral hygiene practices, and improving quality of life via cost effective delivery of pharmacy-based oral health care services.
Methods: Quantitative cross sectional study on CPs spanning all 17 Local Government Areas in Plateau State. Data collection was the survey method using paper based self-administered questionnaires.
Results: A one sample t-test to assess the knowledge of CPs on oral health showed that they were knowledgeable on oral health and had a very good disposition towards engaging in oral health prevention services M = 17.2, SD = 2.44, t(112) = 5.14, p < .001. Though they presently provide some oral health services to patients with oral health problems, 94.7% were willing to do more to advance the cause of oral health care. A binary logistic regression conducted to evaluate if some demographic variables could predict CP’s interest in becoming more involved in provision of services on oral health problems was not statistically significant, χ2 (7) = 7.72, (p > 0.05), Cox and Snell R2 = .08.
Conclusions: The disposition of CPs towards oral health could serve as a platform to help propagate oral health care and awareness in their communities. Engaging the CPs might help reduce oral health disparities by increasing oral health awareness, improving oral health-seeking behavior and oral hygiene practices, and improving quality of life via cost effective delivery of pharmacy-based oral health care services.