Dataset Information

The oral health of heroin drug users: case study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Injection drug use is a major public health problem. Oral health problems and the appearance of dental disease among injection drug users (IDUs) are caused by their lifestyle. The aim of the present study was to examine the relations between socioeconomic factors, drug use, and oral hygiene habits on the oral health of heroin drug users.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey on oral health was carried out as part of UNICEF's research on the biological and behaviours survey among injection drug users in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Zenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A sample of 519 IDUs participated in the survey. Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) was used to obtain the sample. The data were obtained through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire related to socio-demographic characteristics, duration of drug injection, frequency of drug injection in the last month and oral health.

Results

Older participants (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.02 -1.10), part-time employment (OR = 3.57; 95% CI = 1.02 - 12.20) and unemployment (OR = 3.23; 95% CI = 1.23 - 8.33) in comparison to full-time employment as the referent category, and longer duration of drug injection (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.003 - 1.12) were predictors of bad oral health. A higher level of education (OR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.39 - 0.79), more frequent tooth brushing (OR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.49 - 0.71), and regular dental checkups (OR = 3.30; 95% CI = 1.42 - 7.67) were predictors of good oral health.

Conclusions

Socioeconomic characteristics of IDUs as well as their lifestyles may contribute to oral health problems. Heroin drug users have specific dental needs, and programmes to improve their oral health should be an integral part of strategies to prevent addictions including treatments and harm reduction programmes.

SUBMITTER: Supic ZT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3878313 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The oral health of heroin drug users: case study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Supic Zorica Terzic ZT Petrovic Ranko R Milicevic Milena Santric MS Trajkovic Goran G Bukumiric Zoran Z

BMC public health 20131219

<h4>Background</h4>Injection drug use is a major public health problem. Oral health problems and the appearance of dental disease among injection drug users (IDUs) are caused by their lifestyle. The aim of the present study was to examine the relations between socioeconomic factors, drug use, and oral hygiene habits on the oral health of heroin drug users.<h4>Methods</h4>A cross-sectional survey on oral health was carried out as part of UNICEF's research on the biological and behaviours survey a ...[more]

PMID: 24355082

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Project description:BackgroundRegulation of private health care providers (PHPs) in middle-income countries can be challenging. Mandatory safety and quality standards for PHPs have been in place in the Republic of Srpska since 2012, but not all PHPs have adopted them yet. Adoption rates have differed among different types of providers. We studied three predominant types of PHPs to determine why the rate of adoption of the standards varies among them.MethodsThis study used a mixed methods approach, which allowed the integration of both quantitative and qualitative data, to develop an explanatory case study. The case study covered three types of private PHPs: pharmacies, dental practices and specialist practices. Primary data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and a self-administered postal survey of private health care providers. Our study's theoretical framework was based on the diffusion of innovation theory.ResultsThe rate of adoption of mandatory standards varied among different types of PHP mainly due to four factors: (1) level of concern about negative financial consequences, such as the risk of fines or of losing contracts with the Health Insurance Fund of the Republic of Srpska; (2) availability of information on the standards and implementation process; (3) level of the relevant professional association's support for the introduction of standards; and (4) provider's perceptions of the relevant health chamber's attitude toward the standards. Opinions conveyed to PHPs by peers slightly negatively influenced adoption of the standards at the attitude-forming stage. Perceived gains in professional status did not have a major influence on the decision to adopt standards. All three types of PHPs perceived the same disadvantages of the introduction of safety and quality standards: associated expense, increased administrative burden and disruption of service provision.ConclusionsWhen introducing mandatory quality and safety standards for PHPs, national health authorities need to: ensure adequate availability of information on the relative advantages of adhering to standards; support the introduction of standards with relevant incentives and penalties; and work in partnership with relevant professional associations and health chambers to get their buy-in for regulation of quality and safety of health services.

Dataset Information

The oral health of heroin drug users: case study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

The oral health of heroin drug users: case study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Similar Datasets

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