{
  "abstract": "Background: Oral diseases represent an important reason for consultation among personnel attending the Chinese level-II hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). By analyzing the trends in the spectrum of oral diseases, we aim to improve precision support in oral healthcare for peacekeepers. Materials and methods: Clinical data from outpatient visits during Batches 23, 25, and 26 at the hospital were collected. A total of 565 oral outpatient visits (205 in Batch 23, 154 in Batch 25, and 206 in Batch 26) were analyzed. Oral diseases were classified using ICD-11 into five categories, and their proportions and trends were compared using chi‑square tests and Cochran−Armitage trend tests with Bonferroni correction. Results: Oral outpatient visits accounted for the largest proportion of specialized outpatient consultations across all three batches, accounting for 22.19% (Batch 23), 21.21% (Batch 25), and 25.40% (Batch 26) of all outpatient visits. The proportion of diseases of hard tissues of teeth increased from 29.27% (Batch 23) to 49.03% (Batch 26) (P for trend < 0.001), and was significantly higher in Batch 26 than in Batches 23 and 25 (P < 0.001), with caries being the most common. Caries proportion rose from 11.71% (Batch 23) to 30.10% (Batch 26) (P for trend < 0.001). Among diseases of pulp or periapical tissues, pulpitis was the most prevalent; its proportion peaked in Batch 25 (33.12%) and then significantly decreased in Batch 26 (20.87%, P = 0.009). Periodontal disease declined from 15.12% (Batch 23) to 6.80% (Batch 26) (P for trend = 0.008), with Batch 26 significantly lower than Batch 23. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary insights for oral medical support in peacekeeping missions with similar settings, ensuring effective oral health protection for peacekeepers.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "The 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China",
    "General Hospital of Western Theater Command, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China",
    "Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Western Theater Command, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yifan Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Juanqin Niu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Gang Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dong Qin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiangjie Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lei Xu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Zipeng Li"
    },
    {
      "name": "Wei Xue"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7182xtpch6895.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358265",
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  "id": "7182xtpch6895",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
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  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "3506|Dental Health and Care Utilization"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Digestive system/Teeth"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Head/Jaw/Teeth"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Digestive system/Teeth"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Head/Jaw/Teeth"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Health care/Patients/Outpatients"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Infectious diseases/Bacterial diseases/Caries"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Oral diseases"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Oral diseases/Periodontal diseases"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Medical conditions/Oral diseases/Periodontal diseases/Periodontitis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oral medicine/Oral diseases"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oral medicine/Oral diseases/Periodontal diseases"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oral medicine/Oral diseases/Periodontal diseases/Periodontitis"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oral medicine/Oral health"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/People and places/Population groupings/Ethnicities/Asian people/Chinese people"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7213331849",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0358265&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-15",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7182xtpch6895.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:49Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358265",
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:anatomy",
      "subfield": "physiology"
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  ],
  "title": "Analysis of trends in the spectrum of oral diseases at the Chinese level‑II hospital for peacekeeping: A case study from the Democratic Republic of the Congo",
  "title_text": "Analysis of trends in the spectrum of oral diseases at the Chinese level‑II hospital for peacekeeping: A case study from the Democratic Republic of the Congo",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:49Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7182xtpch6895",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}