Factors affecting the utilization of oral health services among preschool children in Yogyakarta City

Abstract

Background: The utilization of oral health services is a crucial component for preschool children, serving as both a preventive and curative measure for their oral health. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence the utilization of oral health services in preschool children in Yogyakarta City based on Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services. Methods: An analytical observational study using a cross-sectional design was conducted involving 100 children and their parents at three kindergartens in the Klitren Urban Village, Gondokusuman District, Yogyakarta City. The variables studied in this research included the child’s sex, age, parents' education level, parents' occupation, parents' knowledge, attitudes, and practice, parents' income, parents' perception of their child’s oral and general health, the child’s experience of toothache, and oral health status assessed using the dmf-t index. Data analysis was conducted using the chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, and binary logistic regression analysis. Findings: A total of 38% of children had utilized oral health services. The result of multivariate analysis shows that predisposing factors, supporting factors, and need factors simultaneously affect the utilization of oral health services in preschool children by 39.2%. Parental education level (p= 0.004; Exp (B)= 12.065, 95% CI [2.210-65.880]), parental knowledge, attitudes, and practice (p= 0.012; Exp (B)= 4.374; 95% CI [1.379-13.872]), children’s experience of toothache (p= 0.036; Exp (B)= 0.357; 95% CI [0.136-0.937]), age (p= 0.041; Exp (B)= 1.942; 95% CI [1.029-3.665]), and parental occupation (p= 0.041; Exp (B)= 3.716; 95% CI [1.053-13.115]) were significantly associated with utilization of oral health services. Conclusion: This study concludes that predisposing factors, enabling factors, and need factors are factors that influence the utilization of oral health services among preschool children in Yogyakarta City. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study is novel in applying Andersen’s Behavioral Model to identify parental and child-related factors influencing oral health service utilization among preschool children.