Journal of Oral Health and Community Dentistry

Register      Login

VOLUME 12 , ISSUE 1 ( January-April, 2018 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Evaluation of Oral Health Treatment Needs encountered by Community Pharmacists in Plateau State, Nigeria

Olaniyi O Taiwo, Raymond M Panas

Keywords : Community pharmacist, Oral health, Treatment needs

Citation Information : Taiwo OO, Panas RM. Evaluation of Oral Health Treatment Needs encountered by Community Pharmacists in Plateau State, Nigeria. J Oral Health Comm Dent 2018; 12 (1):1-7.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10062-0017

License: NA

Published Online: 01-11-2018

Copyright Statement:  NA


Abstract

Aim: In Nigeria, alongside other developing countries, the pharmacy is the first resource for people with varied health conditions. It is likely that individuals suffering from toothache would contact the community pharmacist (CP) first rather than the dentist. This is because most illnesses are treated by self-medication. This study looks at the types of oral health conditions and treatment needs encountered by CPs in Plateau State, Nigeria. Materials and methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study on CPs spanning all 17 local government areas (LGAs) in Plateau State was conducted. Data collection was survey method using paper-based self-administered questionnaires. Results: Community pharmacists (113) participated in the study. In all, per week, about 534 patients requiring oral health care were seen by the CPs; 25% of the CPs encounter these patients daily. There was a positive correlation between these patients (534) and the average daily patient traffic to the pharmacies (7,018), Pearson's correlation coefficient, r was 0.443 (p = 0.000). Toothache (94.7%) was the most common oral health advice requested followed by bad breath (69.9%) and teething (69%). Nearly all (96.5%) the CPs provide some form of service to clients who approach them with oral health problems. Conclusion: Community pharmacies by virtue of their locations and services make them a facility frequently visited by patients with oral health complaints. A lot of patients contact them regularly for different oral health needs. Clinical significance:The vantage position of CPs in the community makes them viable sources of oral health information. Thus, CPs can be engaged in oral health-promotion activities complementing the functions of oral health care workers. This might help reduce oral health disparities by increasing oral health awareness, improving oral health-seeking behavior, better oral hygiene practices, and improving the quality of life via costeffective delivery of pharmacy-based oral health care services.


PDF Share
  1. Afolabi OA, Ehalaiye BF, Fadare JO, Abdur-Rahman AB, Ehalaiye DN. Survey of ototopical self-medication among patients attending ENT and family medicine departments in a Nigerian hospital. Eur J Gen Pract 2011 Sep;17(3):167-170.
  2. Eticha T, Mesfin K. Self-medication practices in Mekelle, Ethiopia. PLoS One 2014 May;9(5):e97464.
  3. George PP, Molina JA, Cheah J, Chan SC, Lim BP. The evolving role of the community pharmacist in chronic disease management—a literature review. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2010 Nov;39(11):861-867.
  4. Ogbo PU, Aina BA, Aderemi-Williams RI. Management of acute diarrhea in children by community pharmacists in Lagos, Nigeria. Pharm Pract (Granada) 2014 Jan;12(1):376.
  5. Mann RS, Marcenes W, Gillam DG. Is there a role for community pharmacists in promoting oral health? Br Dent J 2015 Mar;218(5):E10.
  6. Sofola OO. Implications of low oral health awareness in Nigeria. Niger Med J 2010 Nov;51(3):131-133.
  7. Auta A, Banwat SB, Dayom DW, Shalkur D, Avu MO. Occurrence and treatment of common health problems in a Nigerian community. J Young Pharm 2012 Jan;4(1):49-53.
  8. Mohamed SS, Mahmoud AA, Ali AA. The role of Sudanese community pharmacists in patients’ self-care. Int J Clin Pharm 2014 Apr;36(2):412-419.
  9. Amien F, Myburgh NG, Butler N. Location of community pharmacies and prevalence of oral conditions in the Western Cape Province. Health SA Gesondheid 2013 Aug;18(1):1-9.
  10. Karim A, Mascarenhas AK, Dharamsi S. A global oral health course: Isn't it time? J Dent Educ 2008 Nov;72(11):1238-1246.
  11. Braimoh M, Ogunbodede E, Adeniyi A. Integration of oral health into primary health care system: views of primary health care workers in Lagos State, Nigeria. J Public Health Afr 2014 Jun;5(1):328.
  12. Okunseri C, Chattopadhyay A, Lugo RI, McGrath C. Pilot survey of oral health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional study of adults in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. BMC Oral Health 2005 Jul;5:7.
  13. Meyerson BE, Ryder PT, Richey-Smith C. Achieving pharmacy- based public health: a call for public health engagement. Public Health Rep 2013 May-Jun;28(3):140-143.
  14. Faduyile T, Oparah AC, Oreagba IA. Potentials of community pharmacists to improve maternal, newborn and child health. West Afr J Pharm 2012;23(2):27-33.
  15. Azmi S, Nazrin N, Azmi AH. Extending the roles of community pharmacists: views from general medical practitioners. Med J Malaysia 2012 Dec;67(6):577-581.
  16. Cohen LA. Enhancing pharmacists’ role as oral health advisors. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2013 May-Jun;53(3): 316-321.
  17. Amin ME, Chewning B. Pharmacist–patient communication about medication regimen adjustment during Ramadan. Int J Pharm Pract 2016 Dec;24(6):419-427.
  18. Wibowo Y, Parsons R, Sunderland B, Hughes J. An evaluation of community pharmacy-based services for type 2 diabetes in an Indonesian setting: patient survey. Peer J 2015 Dec;3:e1449.
  19. Bawazir OA. Knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists regarding oral health care and oral hygiene products in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. J Int Oral Health 2014 Nov-Dec;6(6):10-13.
  20. Chestnutt IG, Taylor MM, Mallinson EJH. The provision of dental and oral health advice by community pharmacists. Br Dent J 1998 Jun;184(11):532-534.
  21. Gilbert L. The role of community pharmacists as an oral health adviser: an exploratory study of community pharmacists in Johannesburg, South Africa. SADJ 1998 Sep;53(8): 439-443.
  22. Maunder PE, Landes DP. An evaluation of the role played by community pharmacies in oral health care situated in a primary care trust in the north of England. Br Dent J 2005 Aug;199(4):219-223.
  23. Priya S, Madan Kumar PD, Ramachandran S. Knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists regarding oral health care and oral hygiene products in Chennai city. Indian J Dent Res 2008 Apr-Jun;19(2):104-108.
  24. World Health Organization. The role of the Pharmacist in the health care system. WHO/PHARM94.569. Geneva: WHO; 1994. Available from: http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/ pdf/h2995e/h2995e.pdf.
  25. Ogunbodede EO. Implementation of oral health policies in African countries: South Africa and Nigeria as case studies. Doctoral dissertation, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. 2014. [cited 2014 Sep]. Available from: http://etd.uwc. ac.za/xmlui/handle/11394/3717.
  26. Etiaba E, Uguru N, Ebenso B, Russo G, Ezumah N, Uzochukwu B, Onwujekwe O. Development of oral health policy in Nigeria: an analysis of the role of context, actors, and policy process. BMC Oral Health 2015 May;15:56.
  27. Olusile AO. Improving low awareness and inadequate access to oral health care in Nigeria: the role of dentists, the government & non-governmental agencies. Niger Med J 2010 Nov;51(3): 134-136.
  28. Osazuwa-Peters N. The Alma-Ata declaration: an appraisal of Nigeria's primary oral health care three decades later. Health Policy 2011 Mar;99(3):255-260.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.