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Research Article
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes and Utilisation of Professional Dental Care Services Among Rural Residents of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, April 2026
Pages:
65-76
Received:
6 February 2026
Accepted:
20 February 2026
Published:
4 March 2026
Abstract: Oral health is an essential component of overall health and quality of life; however, utilisation of professional dental care services remains low in many rural communities in Nigeria. Knowledge and attitudes toward dental care are key determinants of service utilisation, particularly in underserved populations. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and utilisation of professional dental care services among rural residents of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 rural residents selected using multistage sampling. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize respondents’ knowledge, attitudes, and utilisation of dental care services, while Chi-square tests were used to examine associations between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge and attitudes. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Result: Most respondents demonstrated good knowledge of oral/dental health (84.3%). Despite this, attitudes toward dental care utilisation were largely negative, with 63.7% of respondents exhibiting unfavourable attitudes. Utilisation of professional dental care services was generally low and largely symptom-driven. Sex and monthly income were significantly associated with knowledge of oral/dental health (p < 0.05). Attitude toward dental care utilisation was significantly associated with level of education, occupation, and monthly income (p < 0.001), while age, marital status, and sex showed no significant association. Conclusion: Although knowledge of oral health was relatively high among rural residents of Ikwerre Local Government Area, negative attitudes toward dental care and low utilisation of professional services persist. Socioeconomic factors play a significant role in shaping attitudes and knowledge, underscoring the need for targeted oral health education, attitude-focused interventions, and improved accessibility and affordability of dental services in rural communities.
Abstract: Oral health is an essential component of overall health and quality of life; however, utilisation of professional dental care services remains low in many rural communities in Nigeria. Knowledge and attitudes toward dental care are key determinants of service utilisation, particularly in underserved populations. This study assessed the knowledge, a...
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Research Article
Exploring the Integration of Traditional Healers into Hospital-based Health Care in Sierra Leone
Angella Magdalene George*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, April 2026
Pages:
77-84
Received:
29 January 2026
Accepted:
24 February 2026
Published:
5 March 2026
Abstract: This study aimed to examine stakeholder perceptions, feasibility, and challenges associated with integrating traditional healers into hospital-based healthcare systems in Sierra Leone, with the objective of identifying opportunities for collaboration and informing policy and practice. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed involving 400 participants drawn from Bo District, Western Area Urban District, and Kenema District. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of 35 closed-ended items assessing perceptions of integration feasibility, trust, safety, and institutional readiness, and were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 27. Qualitative data were obtained through 40 key informant interviews and eight focus group discussions and analyzed thematically using NVivo version 12. The results indicated that 86% of respondents supported the integration of traditional healers into hospital-based healthcare, citing cultural relevance, accessibility, and patient trust as key advantages. However, major barriers included the absence of regulatory frameworks, concerns about herbal safety and dosage, limited research capacity, and lack of mutual professional trust. The study concludes that integration is both feasible and necessary for strengthening culturally competent healthcare delivery and advancing Universal Health Coverage in Sierra Leone. It recommends the development of a national integration policy, hospital-based pilot programs, strengthened research and quality assurance mechanisms, and targeted capacity-building initiatives.
Abstract: This study aimed to examine stakeholder perceptions, feasibility, and challenges associated with integrating traditional healers into hospital-based healthcare systems in Sierra Leone, with the objective of identifying opportunities for collaboration and informing policy and practice. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed involving 40...
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Research Article
Workforce Diversity and Wait Times to Enter Opioid Treatment
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, April 2026
Pages:
85-88
Received:
9 February 2026
Accepted:
24 February 2026
Published:
5 March 2026
Abstract: Background: Racial and ethnic minorities face significant disparities in accessing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. While workforce diversity is theorized to improve cultural competency, rapport and retention, prior research has yielded mixed results regarding its impact on access, namely wait times. Conversely, workforce diversity may be associated with operational constraints. This study builds on previous work to determine how the association between minority staffing and wait times have changed post-pandemic. Methods: This study analyzes data from the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (NDATSS) for 2017 (n = 101) and 2023 (n = 121) using multilevel linear regression to examine the relationship between staff racial composition and wait times to enter methadone treatment. Results: Consistent with historical trends, higher percentages of African American staff were associated with longer wait times overall. However, a significant interaction with the survey year reveals that this association weakened significantly in 2023 compared to 2017, suggesting a reduction in wait times for programs with diverse staffing in the post-pandemic landscape. Conclusion: The previously observed "cost" of workforce diversity on wait times appears to be diminishing. These findings suggest that evolving organizational practices or policy shifts may be allowing diverse teams to better facilitate timely access to care.
Abstract: Background: Racial and ethnic minorities face significant disparities in accessing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. While workforce diversity is theorized to improve cultural competency, rapport and retention, prior research has yielded mixed results regarding its impact on access, namely wait times. Conversely, workforce diversity may be assoc...
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Research Article
The Current Situation and Analysis of Medical Popularization Among Community Residents in Chengdu: Based on Sample Surveys of Xilin and Haian Communities
Chen Fangfang,
Yin Xiaowen,
Du Ming,
Tan Qi,
Zou Yanli,
Shan Zeliang,
Yan Zhi,
Mei Yingchun*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, April 2026
Pages:
89-97
Received:
20 February 2026
Accepted:
2 March 2026
Published:
16 March 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajhr.20261402.14
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Abstract: Objective: To explore the current situation and influencing factors of residents' mastery of health knowledge, medication safety, and physical examination behavior in Xilin and Haibin communities of Qinglong Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu City, and to provide empirical evidence for the precise implementation of community health management. Research method: A retrospective study design was adopted for analysis. Using a retrospective research method, the clinical data of the sampling survey on the core indicators of residents' health literacy conducted by our hospital from May to June 2025 were analyzed. A total of 80 residents from Xilin Community and Haibin Community were included in the survey, and 40 valid questionnaires were recovered from each community. The data were collected using the "National Resident Health Literacy Monitoring Questionnaire" and analyzed using SPSS 22.0. The measurement data were expressed as (x ± s), and independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used for inter-group comparisons. The count data were expressed as [n (%)] and were compared using the chi-square test. A P value less than 0.05 indicated a statistically significant difference. Results: A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed, and 80 valid questionnaires were retrieved, with an effective response rate of 80%. Comparing the proportion of residents in Xilin Community and Haibin Community with a total correct rate of health knowledge (≥80%) showed that the P value was 0.286 (> 0.05), indicating that there was no essential difference in the distribution of residents with high health knowledge mastery levels in the two communities. There was a statistically significant difference in the correct rate of health knowledge related to medication safety between different genders. The proportion of high correct rate (≥75%) in medication safety among females (65.85%) was significantly higher than that among males (46.15%). Comparing the physical examination rates of residents in different age groups in the community showed that the P value was 0.019 (< 0.05), indicating that the physical examination rate of the middle-aged and elderly population was significantly higher than that of the young population, and there were significant differences in the distribution of physical examination behaviors among different groups. Discussion and conclusion: The research results are consistent with relevant domestic studies, confirming that age, gender, and education level are the core factors affecting residents' health literacy. Females performed better in medication safety cognition, and the physical examination participation rate of middle-aged and elderly residents was higher. Young people belong to the vulnerable group in health management. In conclusion, the core health literacy indicators of residents in Qinglong Street are closely related to age, gender, and education level. Community health management should focus on residents with low education levels and weak health awareness, and carry out targeted health education for the problems of insufficient medication safety cognition among men and low physical examination participation rate among young people aged 18 to 35.
Abstract: Objective: To explore the current situation and influencing factors of residents' mastery of health knowledge, medication safety, and physical examination behavior in Xilin and Haibin communities of Qinglong Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu City, and to provide empirical evidence for the precise implementation of community health management. Rese...
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Research Article
Prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Associated Factors Among Children at Gacan Libaax MCH, Qardho, Puntland, Somalia
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 2, April 2026
Pages:
98-110
Received:
21 February 2026
Accepted:
5 March 2026
Published:
17 March 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajhr.20261402.15
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Views:
Abstract: A major national and international public health concern, severe acute malnutrition (SAM), affects millions of children globally, particularly those under five. Understanding the incidence of SAM and its contributing factors in children under five at the Ga'an Libah MCH Center in Qardho was the study's goal. The source population consists of children aged 0-59 months. The study indicated that parents lacked increased awareness of better nutritional outcomes for their children, the importance of breastfeeding, and the recommended breastfeeding rates; additionally, many of these children either missed vaccinations or received incomplete vaccinations. For the primary causes of stunting and wasting, there is no discernible gender difference. As a result, the findings concurred with the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) based on standard clinical indicators such as mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of less than 11.5 cm or the presence of nutritional oedema (swelling). Penultimately, the study at Ga'an Libah MCH Centre in Qardho, Somalia, found an alarming SAM: MUAC < 11.5 cm, MAM: MUAC ≥ 11.5 cm and < 12.5 cm, and MUAC ≥ 12.5 cm, respectively, among children aged 6-59 months. Comprehensive interventions that address both the region's immediate dietary requirements and underlying socioeconomic and environmental causes are desperately needed. Finally, expand SAM and MAM screening and treatment initiatives while ensuring services are easily accessible, and also encourage the best Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices.
Abstract: A major national and international public health concern, severe acute malnutrition (SAM), affects millions of children globally, particularly those under five. Understanding the incidence of SAM and its contributing factors in children under five at the Ga'an Libah MCH Center in Qardho was the study's goal. The source population consists of childr...
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,
Queen Desmond Atuzie
