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Processing variations can significantly alter the iron availability in African weaning foods formulated from pearl millet. While roasting produces higher iron levels than extrusion, extrusion improves protein digestibility. Both processes, however, fail to yield sufficient iron to meet infant nutritional requirements., The effects of different cereal precooking process (roasting and extrusion cooking) on iron availability and protein digestibility of four African weaning foods were investigated using in vitro methods. In two [...]

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Copyright of Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal is the property of World Health Organization and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Epidermoid cysts (ECs) are rare benign tumors arising from epidermal cells, associated with congenital abnormalities or acquired through trauma, surgery, or lumbar punctures. They represent <1% of all intraspinal tumors and may be associated with limited dorsal myeloschisis (LDM)., Case Description: A 7-year-old neurologically intact male had a dorsal skin mass since birth located posteriorly in the midline of the inferior thoracic spine. The mass was palpable, painless, mobile, vascularized, and could be transilluminated. Thoracic magnetic resonance imaging showed an extensive intradural extramedullary cystic lesion extending from D6 to D8 that did not enhance with contrast, accompanied by a subcutaneous fluid collection at D8-D9 communicating with the subarachnoid space. The patient underwent gross total resection of the lesion, pathologically confirmed as an EC. The postoperative course was uneventful, with no recurrence 1 year postoperatively., Conclusion: LDM may be associated with ECs. Early diagnosis and surgical resection of these lesions are essential for favorable outcomes., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Surgical Neurology International.)

Introduction: The composite coverage index (CCI) is the weighted average coverage of eight preventive and curative interventions received along the maternal and childcare continuum. This study aimed to analyse maternal and child health indicators using CCI., Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of demographic and health surveys (DHS) focused on women aged 15 to 49 and their children aged 1 to 4. This study took place in Guinea. The CCI (meeting the need for planning, childbirth assisted by qualified healthcare workers, antenatal care assisted by qualified healthcare workers, vaccination against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, taking oral rehydration salts during diarrhoea and seeking care for pneumonia) is optimal if the weighted proportion of interventions is > 50%; otherwise, it is partial. We identified the factors associated with CCI using the descriptive association tests, the spatial autocorrelation statistic and multivariate logistic regression., Results: The analyses involved two DHS surveys, with 3034 included in 2012 and 4212 in 2018. The optimal coverage of the CCI has increased from 43% in 2012 to 61% in 2018. In multivariate analysis, in 2012: the poor had a lower probability of having an optimal CCI than the richest; OR = 0.11 [95% CI; 0.07, 0.18]. Those who had done four antenatal care visits (ANC) were 2.78 times more likely to have an optimal CCI than those with less OR = 2.78 [95% CI;2.24, 3.45]. In 2018: the poor had a lower probability of having an optimal CCI than the richest OR = 0.27 [95% CI; 0.19, 0.38]. Women who planned their pregnancies were 28% more likely to have an optimal CCI than those who had not planned OR = 1.28 [95% CI;1.05, 1.56]. Finally, women with more than 4 ANC were 2.43 times more likely to have an optimal CCI than those with the least OR = 2.43 [95% CI; 2.03, 2.90]. The spatial analysis reveals significant disparities with an aggregation of high partial CCI in Labé between 2012 and 2018., Conclusion: This study showed an increase in CCI between 2012 and 2018. Policies should improve access to care and information for poor women. Besides, strengthening ANC visits and reducing regional inequalities increases optimal CCI., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Environmental pollution is one of the major problems facing human health, ecosystems, and biodiversity. This is particularly the case for water quality in Senegal. Fish can be used as a biomonitor of pollution by accumulating pollutants from the environment through their tissues. Fish is an indispensable element in the assessment of the quality of the environment due to the diversity of biological cycles and their position in the food chain. Fish, which is very sensitive to chemical and bacterial pollution, concentrates pollutants and is a good indicator of water quality. This review presents water pollution in Senegal and the possibility of using fish as an ideal monitoring matrix for marine environments, to detect the concentration of heavy metals and organic pollutants. The different extraction and analytical techniques used for fish biomonitoring will be also described., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Despite its effectiveness, the optimal use of the combination of insecticide-treated nets (ITN) and intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) remains low in malaria-endemic areas. Therefore, this study analyzed its variations and predictors in Guinea., Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of the 2012 and 2018 Guinea Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). It included women who had given birth 3 years before each DHS, slept on ITN and took at least one dose of SP. Use was complete if a pregnant woman slept on ITNs and took SP (at least two doses in 2012; at least three doses in 2018). Moran indices were used to determine spatial autocorrelation and classification methods to identify malaria preventive measures (MPM) predictors., Results: In 2012, 60.88% of pregnant women had incomplete use of MPMs compared with 79.11% in 2018. Associated factors with incomplete MPMs in 2012 were as follows: having an indirect link with the head of household (AOR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.08-4.61) and performing at least 4 ANC visits (AOR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.44-0.99). In 2018: Living in households of 2 to 5 people (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.36-0.80), have a man as the head of the household (AOR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.89), perform the first ANC in the second trimester of pregnancy (AOR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.54-0.99), perform at least 4 ANC visits (AOR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.36-0.62), have a job (AOR = 0. 67, 95% CI 0.50-0.88), give birth in a public health facility (AOR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.39-0.72) and the middle wealth quintile (AOR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.07-2.26). Analyses revealed a global autocorrelation (Moran index = 0.0009, p = 0.2349) and high-high clusters in Mamou in 2012. In 2018, autocorrelation was found (I Moran = 0.0169, p ≤ 0.05), with spatial clusters in 4 regions., Conclusion: The link with the head of household and the number of ANC visits were the main factors in MPMs. It is essential to implement strategies at the household level and health system level and monitor them to reduce inequality across regions., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The advent of the effective COVID-19 vaccine was the most eagerly expected worldwide. However, this hope quickly became hesitation and denial in many countries, including Guinea. Understanding the reasons for low vaccine coverage is essential to achieving herd immunity leading to disease control. This study aimed to comprehend the facilitators and barriers to the acceptance COVID-19 vaccine in Guinea., Methods: The survey focused on healthcare workers (HCWs) and the general population (GP) in 4 natural regions in Guinea from 23 March 2021 to 25 August 2021. We used the Fishbein integration model to study the behaviours of HWCs and GP regarding vaccination. A mixed cross-sectional study collected knowledge, attitudes, norms, and perceptions. Regression and thematic content analysis identified the main facilitators and barriers to vaccination., Results: We surveyed 3547 HCWs and 3663 GP. The proportion of people vaccinated was 65% among HCWs and 31% among the GP. For HCWs: the main factors associated with vaccination against COVID-19 were as follows: absence of pregnancy AOR = 4.65 [3.23-6.78], being supportive of vaccination AOR = 1.94 [1.66-2.27] and being an adult AOR = 1.64 [1.26-2.16]. Regarding the GP, the following factors increased the odds of vaccination: absence of pregnancy AOR = 1.93 [CI 1.01-3.91], being favourable for vaccination AOR = 3.48 [CI 2.91-4.17], being an adult AOR = 1.72 [CI 1.38-2.14] and being able to get the vaccine AOR = 4.67 [CI 3.76-5.84]. Semi-interviews revealed fear, lack of trust, and hesitant perception of the government as potential barriers to vaccination., Conclusion: This study suggests that beliefs and negative perceptions are potential barriers to vaccination against COVID-19 among HCWs and the GP. Policies should emphasise practical strategies to mitigate these barriers among young people and pregnant women. Lastly, there is a need to improve access to vaccines in the GP., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Pollution of water by persistent organic pollutants is well described; however, little is known about the accumulation of these pollutants by aquatic organisms. For this reason, a method based on QuEChERS extraction and gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the muscles of five fish species from the bay of Soumbedioune (Dakar, Senegal). This method shows good recoveries of extraction (68.2-98.1% for pesticides, 83.87-98.10% for PAHs and 81.30-98.15% for PCBs), precision (% RSD ≤ 1%), sensitivity (LODs between 0.001 and 0.079 ng g -1 ), linearity (R 2 ≥ 0.99) and repeatability and reproducibility, evaluated for three concentration levels (10 ng g -1 , 200 ng g -1 and 500 ng g -1 ), ≤ 15% for the majority of pollutants under study except for alachlor, atrazine, acetochlor, dicofol, deltamethrin and dichlorvos where a RSD ≥ 20% was determined for the 10 ng g -1 concentration. Organic pollutants have been detected in fish from the Soumbedioune coast demonstrating the necessity of a regular survey of water and fish in order to protect the populations.

Objective: To evaluate the added value of the use of upper arm length (UAL) along with mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) to diagnose and estimate the prevalence of wasting in comparison to current WHO standard and other MUAC-based methods., Design: UAL and usual anthropometric measurements were collected during a national cross-sectional nutritional survey. Children were classified into three upper arm length groups (UALGs): UALG1, UALG2 and UALG3 according to the following UAL limits: ≤150, 151-180 and ≥181 mm, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the best MUAC cut-off for each group using weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) as a reference standard. Wasting prevalence, sensitivity and specificity of all diagnostic methods were compared., Setting: This study was conducted in Mauritania., Participants: National representative sample of children from 6 to 59 months old., Results: In total, 12 590 children were included in the study. Wasting prevalence was 16.1%, 5.0% and 12.5% when diagnosed by WHZ <-2, MUAC <125 mm and MUAC-UALG methods, respectively. Using the MUAC-UALG method increased the sensitivity for wasting diagnosis from 17.98% with MUAC <125 mm to 39.43% with MUAC-UALG. The specificity decreased from 97.49% with MUAC <125 mm to 92.71% with MUAC-UALG. With MUAC-height Z score and MUAC <138 mm, sensitivity was 26.04% and 69.76% and specificity were 97.40% and 75.64% respectively., Conclusion: This alternative method using MUAC tape to measure UAL increases the wasting diagnosis accuracy and allows for a better estimation of wasting prevalence. This method could be used as a potential alternative method for quick surveys in emergency settings such as Corona virus disease 2019 context., Competing Interests: Competing interests: MB works for Nutriset S.A.S, Malaunay, France. This study started before he joined the company and is independent to his activity at the company. No other author has a conflict of interest related to this study., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

We here report a case of embryonal paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma in a young adult. The purpose of this study is to highlight this uncommon histological type of tumor in this age group, the rapid evolution of the lesion and the challenges of managing it in our context., Competing Interests: Les auteurs ne déclarent aucun conflit d´intérêts., (Copyright: Boris Amougou et al.)

Setting: Since August 2016, after the Ebola outbreak, the Guinean National Tuberculosis Programme and Damien Foundation implemented the shorter treatment regimen (STR) for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the three MDR-TB sites of Conakry. Previously, the longer regimen was used to treat MDR-TB., Objectives: In a post-Ebola context, with a weakened health system, we describe the MDR-TB treatment uptake, patients characteristics, treatment outcomes and estimate the effect of using the longer versus STR on having a programmatically adverse outcome., Design: This is a retrospective cohort study in RR-TB patients treated with either the longer regimen or STR., Results: In Conakry, in 2016 and 2017, 131 and 219 patients were diagnosed with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB); and 108 and 163 started treatment, respectively. Of 271 patients who started treatment, 75 were treated with the longer regimen and 196 with the STR. Patients characteristics were similar regardless of the regimen except that the median age was higher among those treated with a longer regimen (30 years (IQR:24-38) versus 26 years (IQR:21-39) for the STR. Patients treated with a STR were more likely to obtain a programmatically favorable outcome (74.0% vs 58.7%, p = 0.01) as lost to follow up was higher among those treated with a longer regimen (20.0% vs 8.2%, p = 0.006). Patients on a longer regimen were more than 2 times more likely (aOR: 2.5; 95%CI:1.3,4.7) to have a programmatically adverse outcome as well as being 45 years or older (aOR: 2.8; 95%CI:1.3,6.2), HIV positive (aOR:3.3; 95%CI:1.6,6.6) and attendance at a clinic without NGO support (aOR:3.0; 95%:1.6,5.7)., Conclusion: In Guinea, patients treated with the STR were more likely to have a successful outcome than those treated with the longer MDR-TB treatment regimen. Lost to follow-up was higher in patients on the longer regimen. However, STR treatment outcomes were less good than those reported in the region., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Context and Objective: As elsewhere, disadvantaged children in Senegal are those most affected by dental diseases and difficulties in obtaining dental care. Studies conducted mainly in developed countries suggest that a low level of mothers' OHL is correlated with poor oral health of their children. The objective of this study is to estimate the level of mothers' OHL in Senegal and its relationto the dental health of their children., Methods: This cross-sectional epidemiological survey took place among 315 children aged from 3 to 9 years old and their mothers. It estimated the children's dental health status by clinical examination which used a disposable examination kit and a headlamp, took place at the child's home, in the mother's presence. Examiners interviewing the mothers administered the Oral Health Literacy-Adult Questionnaire to determine their OHL and questioned them further about their social characteristics and their children's dental health behaviour. Logistic regression and correlations were used for the statistical analysis., Results: The OHL score ranges from 0 to 17; mothers' mean score was 6.5 (±3.1) and 56.5% had a low score (below the median). The prevalence of dental caries in children was 64.8%. Mothers' high OHL is associated with children caries free and low prevalence of dental caries. The logistic regression showed a significantly protective relation between children's dental caries and mothers' high OHL scores (mean score 12-17) (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.88), high educational level (OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.23-0.76) and a high level of social contact (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.15-0.63). The structural analysis showed that OHL was significantly correlated with both the mothers' social position (r = 0.61 and P<0.001) and the children's caries (r = -0.26 and P<0.001)., Conclusion: The OHL level of Senegalese mothers was significantly associated with their children's dental caries. Improving mothers' OHL might therefore help strengthen their capacities to promote oral health, thus helping to improve their children's dental health and reduce inequalities., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction: Tooth eruption is a process that begins in infancy and continues throughout childhood and adolescence. This complex phenomenon induces systemic disorders requiring specific management. The objective of this study was to identify the therapeutic responses to teething in children in Ferlo, Senegal., Methods: This qualitative study focused on mothers of teething children (infants and young children). Information was collected by individual interviews (20 persons) and two focus groups (six persons/group) concerning the symptoms and signs of teething, the first-line solution in the presence of such signs, the type and form of prevention and the mother's psychological aspects during this period., Results: The methods used by mothers to treat signs of teething were incantations on strings of knots, amulets, plants and various hard objects such as coins, cowry shells, or wild donkey teeth., Conclusion: These methods responded to the mothers' concerns to prevent and treat the signs accompanying teething. However, mass communication sessions may be necessary to encourage visits to the dentist to improve the management of complications.

Introduction: Oral and dental diseases are a major public health problem due to their high prevalence and their impact on general health., Objective: This article reviews the oral health status and oral health care supply and uptake in children., Method: The available literature were reviewed. The Medline and Embase databases, and the Senegal Ministry of Health and Social Action and National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD) websites were consulted. A total of 7 articles, 3 PhD theses and 8 reports were selected for analysis. The review was supplemented by interviews., Results: Overall, children have poor oral health status. Health care supply is insufficient (1 dentist/38,000 residents) and poorly distributed (mostly in the capital) with unequal oral health care uptake., Conclusion: This systematic review of the literature revealed a lack of reliable data on the oral health of children. It also concluded on a generally poor oral health status.

The epidemiological situation of decay evolves differently in the world. In industrialized countries, prevalence has declined significantly due to preventive measures, while in developing countries many studies have shown that caries was increasing. The aim of this study was to assess the state of dental health of schoolchildren aged 15 in Grand Comore (Comoros). This was a descriptive cross-sectional study on 15 year-old schoolchildren in colleges in Grande Comore who agreed to be examined. Four hundred schoolchildren were chosen by a stratified sampling weighted according to the area of living. Three groups of indicators of dental caries were used: the components D, M and F, the average DMFT and prevalence. The WHO modified questionnaire for the assessment of dental health was used to collect data; continuous data were compared by Student t test and qualitative ones by Chi-square test. Fifty two percent of schoolchildren were male and 63.5% lived in urban area. From the 888 teeth bearing the stigmata of decay, 83.2% were decayed, 12.5% missed and 4.3% filled. These components of DMF were associated with sex (p = 0.039) and not with area (p = 0.12). The 2.22 DMFT average was not associated with sex (p = 0.58) neither with area (p = 0.57). The caries prevalence was higher in rural than in urban areas (p = 0.001) and was not associated with sex (p = 0.61). These results suggest that schoolchildren need decay treatments. The dental programs will have much more success when they will be integrated into more comprehensive programs to promote schoolchildren health.

Aim: Since 1968, the World Health Organization has used an international pharmacovigilance programme to monitor and examine the effects of drugs. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of dentists toward pharmacovigilance., Methods: The paper presents the results of a cross-sectional descriptive study of 103 dentists in Senegal, based on an exhaustive selection process. Data were collected on the dentists' sociodemographic characteristics and their knowledge and attitudes toward pharmacovigilance., Results: Over 50% of the sample were general practitioners. The average number of years of professional experience was 9 years. Painkillers (41.9%) were the most widely prescribed drugs, followed by antibiotics, which were particularly involved in the onset of adverse effects (41.8%). Adverse effects were observed by just 3.8% of the sample. Almost 90% of the participants were not aware of the existing pharmacovigilance system., Conclusion: The results suggest that pharmacovigilance training and education sessions for dentists are needed to improve their knowledge of pharmacovigilance and to foster positive attitudes toward adverse effects.

Background: In developing countries, maternal and neonatal mortality is high. Among the causes of death during the neonatal period, low birth weight is crucial. A dose of fluoride beyond 2mg/L causes enamel damage, possibly affecting the fetus. The aim of this study was to search for an association between dental fluorosis in the mother and low birthweight of the newborn., Methodology: This was a case-control study performed in an endemic area in Senegal (Diourbel). It included 108 mothers who gave birth to newborns weighing less than 2500 g (cases) and 216 mothers with newborns weighing greater or equal to 2500 g (controls). Data on socio-demographic, lifestyle, history and pregnancy variables were collected. Those related to water consumption during pregnancy and dental fluorosis (Dean's index) were measured. The data were analyzed by R software. Logistic regression was used to identify associations and the statistical significance level was set to 0.05., Results: The proportions of mothers consuming well water were 62% among cases versus 43.5% among controls. The score 4 of Dean's Index was reported for 25.9% of cases versus 6.9% of controls. The water consumed and the modal score of Dean's Index were significantly associated with the occurrence of low birthweight adjusted for gender, consanguinity, anemia and hypertension., Conclusion: Low birthweight was associated with pregnant women living in endemic areas. Defluoridation programs and access for pregnant women and children to high quality water are necessary in areas of endemic fluorosis., (Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

The end of the last century and the present decade is characterized by an evolution of the concept of health and illness in the public domain. The World Health Organization defines traditional medicine as "comprising various practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating medicinal herbal, animal and/or mineral, spiritual therapies, applied alone or in combination to maintain well-being and to treat, diagnose or prevent disease. In dentistry, the plants used are numerous. The objective of this work is to describe the herbal medicine used against oral diseases. To conduct this study, 10 articles and theses, a brief, 2 books, 4 reports and 2 clippings on traditional medicine/herbal medicine were consulted. Several African plants, in the form of use, can help relieve or treat dental pain and have positive effects against dental caries and periodontal diseases. The geographic and financial accessibility associated with the lack of qualified personnel are the plants could be an alternative in the management of certain oral diseases.

Oral diseases, mainly tooth decay and periodontal disease, are among the most common conditions in the world. The tooth decay is very prevalent in developing countries and particularly in disadvantaged backgrounds where insecurity and its corollaries prevail. Thus, our study focused on one of these places: the prisons, characterized by deprivation of liberty, monotony, boredom, and the difficult conditions of detention, brief by a total dependence of the detainee. The aim of this study was to determine the DMFT (Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth) in detainees dwelling in prisons in Dakar. This cross sectional study included 754 detainees aged 18 years and more with a stay exceeding more than a year, in one of the four main prisons of the capital city, Dakar. The majority of detainees was males (90%), aged between 18 and 35 years (63%) and was staying at "Camp penal" (65%). The proportion of inmates with at least one tooth cavity was 81.3%, those with teeth sealed was 26.1% and the prisoners with missing teeth reached 70.6%. The highest average DMFT was noted at "Camp penal" (7.3) among men (6.5) and among inmates aged 36 to 45 years (6.1) with a significant difference. The tooth decay is particularly worrying in the prison population, hence the urgency to establish a programme of prevention and care of oral diseases in this environment.

Among the 650,000 persons aged 60 and over in Senegal, only 30% were receiving social security coverage, divided between the Senegalese Retirement Providence Institute and the National Retirement Fund. To fill the social demand, the government has put in place since 1 September 2006 a plan called "Sesame" which gives people aged 60 and older, free access to certain health services provided in public health. The implementation of this plan creates a lot of comments in the health community. The objectives of this study were to describe the dental benefits offered and to identify the difficulties perceived and experienced by the service provider after one year the "sesame" plan was implemented in Ouakam Health Center dental office, benchmark place of Gerontology in the Dakar North health district in Senegal. The study included two components: quantitative and qualitative terms, respectively, consisting of a retrospective study from sheets review and an interview with the health center service provider. The beneficiaries were a total of 42, mean age 68 years, including 66.7% men. Just over a third (35.7%) resided outside Ouakam. Almost 4/5 of the beneficiaries have suffered dental extractions on 1 to 10 teeth per beneficiary. The proportions of people receiving dentine treatment and curetage were respectively 4.8% and 2.4%. Qualitative data showed that the implementation of the plan was not shared between providers and beneficiaries. The "Sesame" plan is a commendable initiative to encourage and improve.

Dental extraction is a surgical act frequently carried out in the African dental structures. It requires the rigorous respect of the conditions of asepsis and antisepsis. Equipments and anaesthetic and avulsional products must be also sufficient. Our study undertaken among 46 dental services in areas health centers of Senegal aimed to determine the conditions under which dental extractions are carried out. The principle results of our study showed that 93% of dental practitioners wore sterilized gloves. 49% of the dentist's care activity consisted in dental extractions. 50% of the practitioners re-use anaesthetic needles, 2% re-use anaesthetic carpules. We noticed that the dental structures were facing a deficit of materials and products of extraction. Face to the outbreak of serious illnesses as infections of HIV and Hepatitis B, the practitioner and his team must be sensitized and trained to struggle against the transmissible infections and to carry out the dental extraction only if the conditions of asepsis and antisepsis are joined together. A pleading towards the medical authorities must be done to support the services in equipments and periodic renewals of the materials and products of extractions.

Ranked 4th global scourge behind cancer, cardiovascular diseases and AIDS, tooth decay is an infectious post eruptive disease, which remains worrying. In children, it involves eating, sleeping and behaviour disorders. Thus, we conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study, on children in toddler's small dwelling of Dakar area. The objective was to determine the prevalence of tooth decay among children of three toddler's small dwelling functional in Dakar. The majority of children was female (57%) and they were more children aged 61 to 73 months in the toddler's small dwelling of Sahm notary located in the suburbs. The prevalence of tooth decay was important for girls in the age group 49 to 60 months and in Toddler's small dwelling located in popular or suburban areas: 78% to Colobane, 68% Sahm notary, with a significant difference. The DFT (decayed, filled teeth) was lowest in Mermoz (residential area). Efforts to improve the oral health must be strengthened by good prevention policy involving people playing a role in educating and guiding children: parents, teachers, organizations, practitioners.

To assess needs of treatment and determine the prevalence of dental decay among students who lived officially in halls of residence in Dakar, a cross-sectional survey from a two-staged sampling was conducted. The following results were obtained: Three hundred and thirty students (78%) had at least one dental decay and among whom 72% presented teeth to fill and 28% teeth to pull out. One hundred and thirty students (32.5%) had at least one missing tooth and one hundred and nineteen students (29.75%) had at least one filled tooth. The average DMF was 3.52. One hundred eighty eight (47%) have needed denture. These relatively high indicators provided with schooling area suggest not only the necessity of improving the existing dental services, but the management of performing prevention programme from Elementary school until University.

To evaluate hygiene in dental offices in Dakar, the authors questioned 64 public, private and semi-private dentists. From 62 practitioners who completed their questionnaire, it appeared that the dry-heated sterilizer (poupinel) was 5 times more used than the autoclave; The almost practitioners sayed respecting the sterilisation process and 66% of them said wearing gloves, masks and glasses during interventions. In spite of the hope these results give, this study is limited because it doesn't take into account many aspects of asepsis and antisepsis in dental office which require a rigorous application next to a personal who needs to be better trained.

The students of Centre des Oeuvres Universitaires de Dakar (COUD) do not seem to participate to the management of their own health status in spite of their financial participation in some services. The aim of this study is to evaluate the students's participation in their own health status. The results obtained from documents and archives, COUD'S responsible and student's opinion have shown a financial participation of 8% from the COUD medical service budget. The students wish to participation actively to the management of the medical service while COUD's responsible have opposite opinion. For an efficiency management of their own health status, students must necessary participate.