Barriers to Dental Care in Individuals with Special Healthcare Needs in Qatif, Saudi Arabia: A Caregiver’s Perspective

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic Distribution of the Study Participants

Group	Variables	Values (n=186)	N	%
Caregivers	Gender	Male	66	35.5
		Female	120	64.5
	Age	Under 25 years	39	21.0
		25–34 years	52	28.0
		35–44 years	57	30.6
		Over 45 years	38	20.4
	Level of education	Under high school	55	29.6
		High school	67	36.0
		College and higher	64	34.4
Special needs individuals	Special needs types	Behavioral & emotional	19	10.2
		Developmental disability	83	44.6
		Physically disabled/others	34	18.3
		Sensory impairment	50	26.9
	Gender	Male	125	67.2
		Female	61	32.8

Note: N and n represent the frequency and sample size respectively; % - sample proportion.

Table 2 Caregivers’ Perceptions of Issues with Access to Dental Care in the Community

Variables	Values (n=186)	N	%
Does the person you care for face any difficulties in accessing dental care in your community?	Yes	102	54.8
	No	65	34.9
	Do not know	19	10.2
Do you support the presence of a specialized dental hospital/center that treats special needs individuals?	Yes	164	88.2
	No	12	6.5
	Do not know	10	5.4

Note: N and n represent the frequency and sample size respectively; % - sample proportion.

Table 3 Reasons Given by Caregivers for Difficulties in Accessing Dental Care for Special Care Needs Individuals in the Community

Variables (n=102)	Major Reason	Minor Reason	Not a Reason	Do Not Know
Dentist unwilling to treat or inadequately trained in treating patients with special needs	11 (10.8%)	9 (8.8%)	64 (62.7%)	18 (17.6%)
Dental clinic environment, colors, light and design are disturbing to special needs persons	37 (36.3%)	18 (17.6%)	33 (32.4%)	14 (13.7%)
Dental clinic waiting area and general services (example: toilets) are not suitable	31 (30.4%)	14 (13.7%)	45 (44.1%)	12 (11.8%)
Dental clinic is not equipped to facilitate treatment of special needs individuals	12 (11.8%)	13 (12.7%)	60 (58.8%)	17 (16.7%)
Dental staff are not friendly or do not know how to manage special needs individuals	23 (22.5%)	22 (21.6%)	45 (44.1%)	12 (11.8%)
Patient has communication difficulties with the dentist during treatment visits	12 (11.8%)	17 (16.7%)	65 (63.7%)	8 (7.8%)
Medical health status of the patient hinders him/her from receiving immediate dental care	32 (31.4%)	20 (19.6%)	38 (37.3%)	12 (11.8%)
Patient needs informed consent from his physician or needs hospitalization	34 (33.3%)	8 (7.8%)	46 (45.1%)	14 (13.7%)
Patient is afraid of the dentist	25 (24.5%)	13 (12.7%)	57 (55.9%)	7 (6.9%)
Patient unable to sit on the dental chair or cooperate with the dentist	30 (29.4%)	19 (18.6%)	51 (50.0%)	2 (2.0%)
Patient’s dental condition was not serious enough to see a dentist	34 (33.3%)	23 (22.5%)	35 (34.3%)	10 (9.8%)
Dental centers/units that treat special needs patients are rare and limited	7 (6.9%)	8 (7.8%)	81 (79.4%)	6 (5.9%)
Difficulty in getting appointments	11 (10.8%)	10 (9.8%)	76 (74.5%)	5 (4.9%)
No time to visit the dentist	42 (41.2%)	20 (19.6%)	33 (32.4%)	7 (6.9%)
Cost or financial difficulty	24 (23.5%)	19 (18.6%)	55 (53.9%)	4 (3.9%)
Transportation difficulty	29 (28.4%)	24 (23.5%)	44 (43.1%)	5 (4.9%)
Dental clinic is too far away	31 (30.4%)	21 (20.6%)	48 (47.1%)	2 (2.0%)

Table 4 Reasons for Difficulties with Access to Dental Care Expressed by Caregivers (n = 102)

Reasons for Difficulties with Access to Dental Care (n=102)	Age		Gender		Level of Education
	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI	OR	95% CI
Dentist unwilling to treat or inadequately trained in treating patients with special needs	0.82	0.30–2.24	0.82	0.28–2.43	1.49	0.51–4.35
Dental clinic environment, colors, light and design are disturbing to special needs persons	0.60	0.25–1.43	1.31	0.52–3.31	1.03	0.40–2.63
Dental clinic waiting area and general services (example: toilets) are not suitable	1.20	0.52–2.74	1.48	0.62–3.52	1.12	0.44–2.81
Dental clinic is not equipped to facilitate treatment of special needs individuals	1.66	0.65–4.26	0.87	0.32–2.36	1.41	0.51–3.93
Dental staff are not friendly or do not know how to manage special needs individuals	1.71	0.74–3.94	1.00	0.42–2.40	0.57	0.22–1.46
Patient has communication difficulties with the dentist during treatment visits	1.18	0.49–2.82	1.48	0.60–3.65	1.38	0.52–3.63
Medical health status of the patient hinders him/her from receiving immediate dental care	1.49	0.64–3.45	0.91	0.38–2.17	0.80	0.32–2.00
Patient needs informed consent from his physician or needs hospitalization	1.09	0.47–2.52	0.75	0.30–1.85	1.02	0.40–2.57
Patient is afraid of the dentist	0.57	0.25–1.30	1.41	0.60–3.33	1.42	0.57–3.53
Patient unable to sit on the dental chair or cooperate with the dentist	1.27	0.58–2.79	1.27	0.55–2.91	1.29	0.54–3.09
Patient’s dental condition was not serious enough to see a dentist	0.76	0.33–1.76	1.25	0.50–3.13	0.71	0.28–1.81
Dental centers/units that treat special needs patients are rare and limited	0.44	0.14–1.41	1.00	0.31–3.22	0.63	0.16–2.44
Difficulty in getting appointments	0.55	0.21–1.49	1.18	0.44–3.22	0.77	0.25–2.35
No time to visit the dentist	1.13	0.49–2.64	1.97	0.77–5.08	0.76	0.30–1.88
Cost or financial difficulty	0.84	0.38–1.86	0.89	0.38–2.11	0.68	0.27–1.68
Transportation difficulty	0.87	0.39–1.94	1.85	0.77–4.45	0.80	0.33–1.91
Dental clinic is too far away	0.62	0.28–1.36	0.74	0.32–1.70	0.55	0.23–1.31

Notes: Age: 12–34 years *vs ≥ 35 years; gender: males *vs females; level of education: under high school/no education *vs high school graduate and above (*indicates the reference values). Level of significance set at p < 0.05; none of the ORs were statistically significant.

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval.