Effect of the COVID-19 Mitigation Measure on Dental Care Needs in 17 Countries: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

The effect of COVID-19 mitigation measures on different oral health care needs is unclear. This study aimed to estimate the effect of COVID-19 mitigation measures on different types of oral health care utilization needs and explore the heterogeneity of such effects in different countries by using real-time Internet search data.

Methods

Data were obtained from Google Trends and other public databases. The monthly relative search volume (RSV) of the search topics "toothache," "gingivitis," "dentures," "orthodontics," and "mouth ulcer" from January 2004 to June 2021 was collected for analysis. The RSV value of each topics before and after COVID-19 was the primary outcome, which was estimated by regression discontinuity analysis (RD). The effect bandwidth time after t

SUBMITTER: Qu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9194817 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature