C Bedos1, J-M Brodeur, M Benigeri, M Olivier. 1. Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Santé, Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université de Montréal, Canada. christophe.bedos@mcgill.ca
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite excellent general health indices, Quebec is in a difficult situation concerning oral health: tooth loss remains at a high level in adults and reveals important social inequalities. The objective of this research was to show that dental health inequalities reflect inequalities in the demand for dental care. METHODS: For the Dental Health Survey of Quebec 1998-1999, 9930 parents of children aged 5 to 8 years were randomly selected across Quebec and received a questionnaire at their home on the demand for dental care. Among them, 8430 adults completed and sent back the questionnaire (responses rate: 85%). After excluding edentulous persons, the sample was reduced to 6585 parents aged 30 to 44 years. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (76.4% of women and 72.8% of men) visit the dentist in a preventive manner rather than wait until dental problems occur. However, our study shows important disparities: the proportion of preventive attenders increases as income increases. A multiple logistic regression model suggests that there are financial as well as cultural barriers in dental care access. CONCLUSION: The proportion of preventive attenders is high in Quebec and allows practitioners to adopt a preventive management of dental caries. Social disparities are high however, and are associated with financial as well as cultural barriers that need to be reduced.
BACKGROUND: Despite excellent general health indices, Quebec is in a difficult situation concerning oral health: tooth loss remains at a high level in adults and reveals important social inequalities. The objective of this research was to show that dental health inequalities reflect inequalities in the demand for dental care. METHODS: For the Dental Health Survey of Quebec 1998-1999, 9930 parents of children aged 5 to 8 years were randomly selected across Quebec and received a questionnaire at their home on the demand for dental care. Among them, 8430 adults completed and sent back the questionnaire (responses rate: 85%). After excluding edentulous persons, the sample was reduced to 6585 parents aged 30 to 44 years. RESULTS: The majority of respondents (76.4% of women and 72.8% of men) visit the dentist in a preventive manner rather than wait until dental problems occur. However, our study shows important disparities: the proportion of preventive attenders increases as income increases. A multiple logistic regression model suggests that there are financial as well as cultural barriers in dental care access. CONCLUSION: The proportion of preventive attenders is high in Quebec and allows practitioners to adopt a preventive management of dental caries. Social disparities are high however, and are associated with financial as well as cultural barriers that need to be reduced.
Authors: Christophe Bedos; Christine Loignon; Anne Landry; Paul J Allison; Lucie Richard Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2013-11-05 Impact factor: 2.655