Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42564391›Full record

ArticleJournal of public health in Africa2026

Oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices across four communities in the Western Cape, South Africa: A cross-sectional study.

Talitha Crowley, Million Bimerew, Thabani Noncungu, Furaha Akimanimpaye, Rukshana Francis, Margaret Hoffman, Pelisa Khonco, Sergio Hendricks, Mogasweri Naidoo, John J Musafiri and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of public health in Africa, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Talitha CrowleySchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2993-6553
Million BimerewSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3516-9709
Thabani NoncunguSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3638-7097
Furaha AkimanimpayeSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2563-3651
Rukshana FrancisSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1776-4704
Margaret HoffmanSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7764-6796
Pelisa KhoncoSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1291-0463
Sergio HendricksSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4962-3663
Mogasweri NaidooSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2887-4896
John J MusafiriSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6231-5687
Penelope MartinSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4848-3350
Jennifer ChippsSchool of Nursing, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7895-4483

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Oral health conditions are preventable, but frequently neglected because of limited knowledge, negative attitudes, and misconceptions within communities. Aim: This study aimed to determine the oral health knowledge, attitudes, and practices and factors associated with these outcomes and self-reported oral pain among community members across four communities (two urban and two semi-rural) in the Western Cape, South Africa. Setting: Two urban and two semi-rural communities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a researcher-administered questionnaire with validated instruments (The World Health Organization [WHO] Oral Health Assessment and the Rustvold Scale) was conducted among 776 adults, with knowledge, attitudes, and practices measured using composite scores. Data were analysed using descriptive and multivariable analyses to identify socio-demographic factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and practices, as well as factors associated with self-reported oral pain. Results: Most respondents were female ( Conclusion: Despite moderate knowledge and positive attitudes, gaps in oral health practices persist, with higher odds of oral pain among semi-rural residents and those with poorer health. Contribution: Findings support targeted oral health promotion and improved access to preventive care in semi-rural communities.

Indexed as

attitudesdental cariesknowledgeoral healthperiodontal diseasepractices

Identifiers

PMID42564391
PMCPMC13443220

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.