African Sleep Medicine | 05 September 2012
Access to Dental Care in Zanzibar Coastal Districts: Public Health Impact Analysis Over Three Years
K, a, b, i, t, o, O, k, e, l, l, o
Abstract
The Zanzibar Coastal Districts in Tanzania face significant challenges in accessing dental care, impacting public health outcomes. A mixed-method approach combining surveys, focus group discussions, and spatial analysis was employed to evaluate dental service utilization and its associated factors. Findings indicate that only 45% of the population in Zanzibar Coastal Districts visited a dentist annually, with higher utilization among urban residents compared to rural areas (p < 0.01). Access to dental care remains suboptimal across the region, highlighting urgent needs for targeted interventions. Increased investment in dental infrastructure and community-led initiatives are recommended to improve access and promote oral health. Dental Access, Public Health, Zanzibar Coastal Districts, Utilization Patterns Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p<em>i)=\beta</em>0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.