OBJECTIVES: Identification of population groups at high risk for poor oral self-care in adults was needed in order to enable more focused planning of oral health promotion actions in Slovenia. METHODS: The study was based on the national health behaviour database in adults aged 25-64. Data collected in 2001 were used. The sample size was 15,379. The overall response rate was 64%, and 8,392 questionnaires were eligible for oral self-care assessment. A complex indicator based on oral hygiene, frequency of visiting a dentist, and nutritional habits was derived. The outcome of interest was poor oral self-care. Logistic regression was used to test multivariate associations between several factors (gender, age, educational level, social class, etc.) and poor oral self-care. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of poor oral self-care was 6.9%. The odds for this outcome were higher for men (OR(males vs. females) = 7.49, p < 0.001), (or participants with the lowest educational levels (OR(uncompleted primary vs. university) = 5.95, p < 0.001; OR(primary vs. university) = 4.95, p < 0.001), and for participants from the lowest social classes (OR(lower vs. upper-middle) = 6.20, p < 0.001; OR(labour vs. upper-middle) = 4.05, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Special attention should be paid to oral health promotion for men, for those with low educational level, and for those belonging to the lowest social classes.
OBJECTIVES: Identification of population groups at high risk for poor oral self-care in adults was needed in order to enable more focused planning of oral health promotion actions in Slovenia. METHODS: The study was based on the national health behaviour database in adults aged 25-64. Data collected in 2001 were used. The sample size was 15,379. The overall response rate was 64%, and 8,392 questionnaires were eligible for oral self-care assessment. A complex indicator based on oral hygiene, frequency of visiting a dentist, and nutritional habits was derived. The outcome of interest was poor oral self-care. Logistic regression was used to test multivariate associations between several factors (gender, age, educational level, social class, etc.) and poor oral self-care. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of poor oral self-care was 6.9%. The odds for this outcome were higher for men (OR(males vs. females) = 7.49, p < 0.001), (or participants with the lowest educational levels (OR(uncompleted primary vs. university) = 5.95, p < 0.001; OR(primary vs. university) = 4.95, p < 0.001), and for participants from the lowest social classes (OR(lower vs. upper-middle) = 6.20, p < 0.001; OR(labour vs. upper-middle) = 4.05, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Special attention should be paid to oral health promotion for men, for those with low educational level, and for those belonging to the lowest social classes.
Authors: Eva Cepova; Martina Cicvakova; Peter Kolarcik; Neda Markovska; Andrea Madarasova Geckova Journal: BMC Oral Health Date: 2018-03-14 Impact factor: 2.757