Illness-related oral health service utilization in Makoi, Fiji Islands

Introduction: Makoi is set in the heart of Nasinu midway between Suva and Nausori. Reports suggest Indo-Fijians are less likely to have active caries then Indigenous Fijians. Objectives: to describe the prevalence of oral symptoms and the use of oral health services and self-medication in response to these symptoms and to measure the association between predisposing, enabling and need factors and decisions to seek oral health care. Methods: The Anderson-Newman model of health care utilization was utilized to design to fit the environment of Fiji. Data was obtained by stratification based on the settlement subdivision. A total of 90 individuals were selected, 45 individuals from regular settlement and 45 from irregular settlement.Results: Overall 78.9% of the respondents had experienced an oral health problem during the past 12 months; a high proportion (66.3%) reported pain or acute discomfort affecting daily life. In response to symptoms, only 88.7% used oral health facilities, 4.2% used self-medication and 7.1% sought no treatment at all. Analysis revealed individuals who were more likely to visit for oral health care were mostly young adults(25%) and middle aged individuals(26.5%), those with highest education ranging from primary to secondary schools (37.5%), long term urban life experiences(56.3%), low income earners(35.9%) and residing in irregular settlements(56.7%). There were no significant differences in illness-related behavior found for gender. Those individuals that perceived oral disease to be important as other disease were more likely to access oral health services.Conclusion: The prevalence of oral symptoms and the use of oral health services among the study population was high; also there was low use of self-medication. Decision-makers must seek to ensure that access to essential oral health care is improved and adequate dentist to population ratio is implemented.