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Oral Health Status of Schoolchildren Living in Remote Rural Andean Communities: A Cross-Sectional Study
Dave A Bergeron1,2, Lise R Talbot3, Isabelle Gaboury1
1Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, Québec, Canada.
Summary
Oral health promotion in rural Peruvian schools shows limited impact, with high rates of dental plaque and caries. Interventions need tailoring to improve outcomes for schoolchildren in remote areas.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Rural Health
Background:
- Oral health promotion (OHP) programs were implemented in Peruvian primary schools in 2013.
- No prior evaluation of OHP effectiveness in rural areas has been conducted.
- Assessing oral health status in remote rural communities is crucial for understanding intervention impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the oral health status of schoolchildren in a remote rural area of Cusco, Peru.
- To measure outcomes of oral health promotion interventions.
- To identify factors influencing oral health in rural schoolchildren.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 66 children from remote rural communities and a district capital.
- Oral health dimensions (knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, plaque, caries, quality of life) were assessed via questionnaires and dental exams.
- Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and multiple linear regression for DMFT index variance.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in dental plaque levels between remote communities (78.7%) and district capital (78.6%).
- High prevalence of dental caries observed in both settings: 98.0% in remote communities and 94.1% in the district capital.
- No statistically significant difference in caries prevalence between the two settings (P=0.43).
Conclusions:
- Current oral health promotion interventions may not be fully effective in rural Peruvian settings.
- Further research is needed to identify specific factors influencing oral health outcomes.
- Tailoring OHP interventions is essential for improving oral health in remote rural populations.
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