Utilization of dental health services and its associated factors among adult population in Ernakulam district, Kerala, India: A mixed-method analysis.

BACKGROUND: There exists a high burden of oral diseases. Yet, the utilization of oral health care remains low. Understanding how, when, and why/why not individuals utilize dental healthcare resources is essential for planning health services and developing policies as it reflects the population's oral health needs, helps allocate resources efficiently, and formulate policies that are tailored to address their needs.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the utilization of dental health services and its associated factors along with barriers and facilitators among adults residing in Ernakulam district, Kerala, using the Anderson healthcare model for healthcare utilization.

METHODS: A mixed-method study was conducted among adults aged 18 years and above in urban and rural wards of Ernakulam district using the cluster sampling method. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used for the quantitative part, and thematic analysis was used for the qualitative aspect. The total sample size was 544.

RESULTS: The dental healthcare utilization was 15.4 ± 2.9 % among the study participants. Age and education were associated with dental healthcare utilization. The level of education, pain, and self-consciousness of oral diseases were independent predictors. Barriers identified were negative attitudes, financial restraints, and difficulty in access, while facilitators were trust in service providers, availability of services, and a positive attitude.

CONCLUSION: Utilization was poor despite the perceived need for oral health care. This was affected by several personal and system-level facilitators and barriers.