March 2021

Volume 38, Issue 1

Oral health status and risk determinants in adult Syrian refugees in Jordan

Authors: Nesreen A. Salim Wajd A. Maayta Yazan Hassona Mohammed Hammad
doi: 10.1922/CDH_00046Salim06

Abstract

Objectives: Lack of data regarding the oral health of Syrian refugees represents a crucial gap in the literature. This study aimed to investigate the oral health status of Syrian refugees and related socio and behavioral factors. Basic Research Design: Cross-sectional study from June to September 2019 at Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan. Methods: An experienced, calibrated field investigator performed an oral clinical examination of 505 Syrian refugees (18-60 years) using the WHO criteria. DMFT, SiC, oral health indices and socio-demographic variables were recorded. Results: A total of 264 males and 241 females were included. The prevalence of caries was 96.0%, of which 76.0% had 4-17 carious lesions. The mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth was 5.76, 2.55 and 1.88 respectively. The mean DMFT score was 10.19 (100% had DMFT>0), SiC was 17.09, and the mean simplified Oral hygiene index score was 2.18. The most common chief complaint was pain (92.7%). Nearly half of the participants were smokers (45.7%). There was a negative association between level of education and oral health (P=0.011). Most participants did not brush their teeth regularly (87.5%). Females had better oral hygiene practices than males (P=0.015). Conclusions: Syrian refugees had a high prevalence of caries, high unmet dental treatment needs and poor oral hygiene practices. Preventive programs and focused interventions may reduce the burden of disease in this underprivileged population, on funding agencies and host countries as well. Keywords: education, oral health, SIC, Syrian Refugees, Zaatari camp, OHI-S

£10 single article

Other articles in this issue

Article Pages Access
Acknowledgement of Reviewers 2-2 £10 single article
Editorial: Migrant and refugee Oral Health 3-4 £10 single article
Dental public health in action: foundation dentists’ delivery of an oral health promotion outreach project for people experiencing homelessness in London 5-9 £10 single article
Characteristics of teenagers who use dental floss 10-14 £10 single article
Evaluating the environmental impact of the Welsh national childhood oral health improvement programme, Designed to Smile 15-20 £10 single article
Concurrent heavy use of general and oral health services among Finnish adults 21-25 £10 single article
Cost Benefit Analysis of Two Oral health Improvement Programmes 26-32 £10 single article
Is the Performance of a Periodontal Prediction Model for Identification of Diabetes affected by Participants’ Characteristics? 33-38 £10 single article
Impact of the national program More Smiles for Chile on women’s quality of life 39-43 £10 single article
Neoliberalism and Indigenous oral health inequalities: a global perspective 44-47 £10 single article
Oral Health of African Immigrants: A participatory approach to needs assessment 48-52 £10 single article
Oral health status and risk determinants in adult Syrian refugees in Jordan 53-58 £10 single article
Subjective and objective social status: associations with psychosocial predictors and oral health 59-63 £10 single article
John Roberts Obituary 64-64 £10 single article

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