Dataset Information

Associations of socioeconomic and health factors with dental non-attendance: A comparison of three cohorts of women.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Most studies on factors influencing dental attendance are cross-sectional and focus on specific age groups. The associations between private ancillary health insurance, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity with dental attendance were examined in three cohorts of Australian women of different ages using multiple waves of data over similar time periods.

Methods

Data from 10 233, 12 378 and 7892 women born in 1973-1978, 1946-1951 and 1921-1926 participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health were used. Poisson regression using generalized estimating equations was used to investigate factors associated with self-report of not visiting the dentist in the 12 months before completing each wave.

Results

The role of dental non-attendance was higher in women without insurance (versus those with insurance) in all cohorts with adjusted rate ratios (RR) of 1.52 95% CI 1.48-1.57, RR 1.45 95% CI 1.41-1.49 and RR 1.32 95% CI 1.28-1.36 in the 1973-78, 1946-51 and 1921-26 cohorts respectively. Current smokers at any intensity (versus never smokers) had a higher risk of non-attendance and the risk was strongest for women in the 1946-51 cohort who smoked ≥20 cigarettes/day (RR 1.35 95% CI 1.30-1.41). Compared with low-risk drinkers, non-drinkers were more likely to be non-attenders, but only in the two older cohorts. Women who were overweight or obese (versus healthy weight) were more likely to be non-attenders in all cohorts, with the risk of non-attendance higher with increasing BMI.

Conclusions

This study emphasizes the continued need to address socioeconomic inequities in access to dental care, along with strategies to overcome barriers for those who are obese or smoke. In this study, barriers to access existed for women of all ages, indicating that interventions need to be appropriate across age groups.

SUBMITTER: Wilson LF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10946461 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Associations of socioeconomic and health factors with dental non-attendance: A comparison of three cohorts of women.

Wilson Louise Forsyth LF Xu Zhiwei Z Doust Jenny J Mishra Gita Devi GD Dobson Annette Jane AJ

Community dentistry and oral epidemiology 20220726 3

<h4>Objectives</h4>Most studies on factors influencing dental attendance are cross-sectional and focus on specific age groups. The associations between private ancillary health insurance, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight/obesity with dental attendance were examined in three cohorts of Australian women of different ages using multiple waves of data over similar time periods.<h4>Methods</h4>Data from 10 233, 12 378 and 7892 women born in 1973-1978, 1946-1951 and 1921-1926 partic ...[more]

PMID: 35880709

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundOral health during pregnancy is vital for both mother and child. Indigenous Australians face many barriers in accessing dental care. Service approachability is one of the key domains in accessing health services. There is little empirical evidence of the association between service approachability and dental care attendance or oral health outcome. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between dental service approachability on dental care attendance and self-reported gum disease among South Australian women pregnant with an Aboriginal child.MethodsFour hundred and twenty-seven women pregnant with an Aboriginal child completed questionnaires in both metropolitan and regional health settings in South Australia in 2011. Four variables related to approachability of dental services: (1) perception of need; (2) service-related health literacy; (3) oral health beliefs and; (4) trust and expectation of dental service. The association between service approachability-related factors, dental utilisation and self-reported gum disease during pregnancy were assessed using Generalised Poisson regression models, after adjusting for age, remoteness, employment status and education. Estimates were presented as adjusted prevalence ratios (APR).ResultsMost participants (85.8%) reported a need for dental care, had positive oral health beliefs (88.3%) and had expectations towards dental care (86.2%). Dental service utilisation during pregnancy was low (35.7%). Many participants (78.0%) expressed knowing what to do if they needed dental care, while most (39.8%) doubted that dental care would be available the next day. Poor health service literacy was identified as a risk factor for non-optimal dental attendance (APR = 0.86, 95%CI 0.74-0.99). Perceived need for dental care was positively associated with self-reported gum disease (APR = 1.24, 95%CI 1.06-1.45).ConclusionInability to navigate the dental care system was a risk factor for poor dental attendance among South Australian women pregnant with an Aboriginal child. Perceived need for dental care was associated with gum disease.

Project description:ObjectivesOral health inequality in children is a widespread and well-documented problem in oral healthcare. However, objective and reliable methods to determine these inequalities in all oral health aspects, including both dental attendance and oral health, are rather scarce.AimsTo explore oral health inequalities and to assess the impact of socioeconomic factors on oral health, oral health behaviour and dental compliance of primary school children.MethodsData collection was executed in 2014 within a sample of 2216 children in 105 primary schools in Flanders, by means of an oral examination and a validated questionnaire. Intermutual Agency database was consulted to objectively determine individuals' social state and frequency of utilisation of oral healthcare services. Underprivileged children were compared with more fortunate children for their mean DMFt, DMFs, plaque index, care index (C, restorative index (RI), treatment index (TI), knowledge and attitude. Differences in proportions for dichotomous variables (RI100%, TI100% and being a regular dental attender) were analysed. The present study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Hospital Ghent (2010/061). All parents signed an informed consent form prior to data collection. All schools received information about the study protocol and agreed to participate. Children requiring dental treatment or periodic recall were referred to the local dentist.ResultsUnderprivileged children had higher D1MFT (95% CI 0.87 to 1.36), D3MT (95% CI 0.30 to 0.64), plaque scores (95% CI 0.12 to 0.23) and lower care level (p<0.02). In the low-income group, 78.4% was caries-free, compared with 88.4% for the other children. Half of the low-income children could be considered as regular dental attenders, while 12.6% did not have any dental visit during a 5-year period.ConclusionOral health, oral hygiene, oral healthcare level and dental attendance patterns are negatively affected by children's social class, leading to oral health inequalities in Belgian primary school children.

Dataset Information

Associations of socioeconomic and health factors with dental non-attendance: A comparison of three cohorts of women.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Associations of socioeconomic and health factors with dental non-attendance: A comparison of three cohorts of women.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets