An analysis of the practice of accompanying paediatric patients for dental treatment in Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Children rely on an accompanying adult to access and get consent for their medical care. Parents usually serve as the accompanying adults; however, there are situations when they must delegate that duty. Aim: This study aimed to analyze the practice of accompanying children for dental treatment in northern Nigeria and describe the circumstances surrounding their visit for dental treatment. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of all new patients (and their accompanying adults) who visited the paediatric dentistry clinic at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano between January 2017 and June 2020. Descriptive statistics were presented using means, standard deviations, percentages, and frequencies. Bivariate (Chi-square test), multivariate analysis, and two-way analysis of variance were performed to determine the associations between the dependent and independent variables. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: Data from 1656 children were analyzed. 46.6% (n = 770) of the children were female. Majority of the children (66.1%) were accompanied by their mothers and most (69.5%, n = 1151) of the accompanying adults were female. Fathers mostly accompanied the male children: this finding was statistically significant (P = 0.001). The proportion of children accompanied by their mothers was much higher among the younger children (P < 0.001). Conclusion: In Kano, parents most frequently accompanied pediatric patients to dental appointments. Mothers were the most common companions for very young children as well as female children. The health-seeking behaviour in northern Nigeria appears to be influenced by culture and religion.