Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Global crises and disease pandemics, such as COVID-19, negatively affect dental care utilization by several factors, such as infection anxiety, disrupted supply chains, economic contraction, and household income reduction. Exploring the pattern of this effect can help policy makers to be prepared for future crises. The present study aimed to investigate the financial impact of COVID-19 disruptions on dental service utilization.

Methods

Data on the number of dental services offered in Dental School Clinics of Tehran University of Medical Sciences was collected over a period of two years, before and after the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. School of Dentistry operates two clinics; one with competitive service fees and one with subsidies. Regression analyses were

SUBMITTER: Akbari A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10768144 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature