Prevalence of Milk Teeth Extraction and Enabling Community Factors Among Under Five-Year-Old Children in Alle Special Woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia, 2022: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study; Based on Theory of Planned Behavior Model

Abstract

Background

Milk tooth extraction (MTE) is one of the most common harmful traditional practices performed by traditional healers without anesthesia and unsterile materials. The acute and chronic complications of this practice greatly affect the health of children. In order to develop effective preventive measures towards this harmful practice, the extent of the problem and factors contributing to the practice should be verified. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of MTE among under five-years-old children in Alle special Woreda.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional survey was undertaken at Alle Special Woreda among 363 women using a multi-stage stratified sampling method. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and data entry was done with Epi-data version 4.4.3.1, while data management and analysis were done with STATA version 14.0. Univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models were used while model’s fitness was checked by Hosmer and Lemeshow test. Variables having a p-value of less than 0.05 were declared statistically significant in the final model.

Result

Milk teeth extraction was practiced on 58.68% (95% CI:0.5,0.6) of children. Age of the child less than 12 months, AOR:1.27 (95% CI:1.02,1.6), maternal occupation (housewife) AOR:1.3 (95% CI:1.04,65), paternaleducational, level (illiterate) AOR:1.4 (95% CI:1.2,1.9), residence (rural) AOR:3.6 (95% CI:1.08,12.4), positive attitude AOR:1.65 (95% CI:1.01,2.8) and intentions AOR: 1.82 (95% CI:1.1,3.3) towards MTE practice showed statistically significant association with MTE practice.

Conclusions and Recommendations

It was found that milk teeth extraction practice was the most common practice in the study area, with a prevalence of 58.68%. Age of the child, maternal occupation, paternal educational level, residence, having a positive attitude and intentions toward MTE practice all had a statistically significant (P value less than 0.05) association with MTE practice. Society’s barriers, such as knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) related, health facility related, and peer and social pressure-related factors, were identified. All stakeholders should put great emphasis on the elimination of this harmful practice.

Keywords:

• harmful traditions
• milk teeth extraction
• children under five years old

Abbreviations

AOR, adjusted odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; EDHS, Ethiopian Demographic Health survey; EGLDAM, Ethiopian Goji Limadawi Dirgitoch Aswogaji Mahiber; EMDHS, Ethiopian Mini Demographic Health survey; FMOH, Federal Ministry of Health; HIV/AIDS, human immune virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome; HTTP, harmful traditional practice; IOM, infant oral mutilation; KAP, knowledge, attitude and practice; MTE, milk teeth extraction; NCTPE, National Committee on Traditional Practice in Ethiopia; SD, standard deviation; WHO, World Health Organization.

Data Sharing Statement

All relevant data are available in this paper. The STATA data of individual patients are not permitted to be provided to other bodies as indicated in the ethical clearance. However, researchers who need further clarification can get anonymized data from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate

Ethical clearance board of Arba Minch University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences ethically approved all the study methods and protocols and responded with a letter reference number IRB/1079/2021. Informed verbal consent was taken from each study participant after ethical approval.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the Arba Minch University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences for funding and Alle Special Wereda health office for providing information to access the data. We also would like to acknowledge data collectors, supervisor and study participants for all what they did for accomplishment of the tasks.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation to this work.

Additional information

Funding

Funding was obtained from Arba Minch University, College of Medicine and Health Sciences.