Sladjana Šiljak1, Janko Janković2, Jelena Marinković3, Miloš Erić4, Teresa Janevic5, Slavenka Janković6. 1. Public Health Institute of Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Social Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. 3. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Statistics and Informatics, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. 4. Faculty of Economics, Finance and Administration, Metropolitan University, Belgrade, Serbia. 5. Department of Population Health Science and Health Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA. 6. Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Epidemiology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The objective was to estimate the frequency of visits to a dentist and to assess the impact of determinants on dental care utilisation among adults in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the 2010 National Health Survey performed in the RS. A total of 4,128 adults (≥18 years) were interviewed in their homes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between demographic characteristics, socio-economic characteristics, health behaviours, self-rated health, self-reported noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and dental care utilisation. RESULTS: Only 20% of all respondents reported a visit to a dentist in the year preceding the interview. Younger respondents (OR = 0.97), women (OR = 1.30-1.39), urban dwellers (OR = 1.41-1.61), those who were employed (OR = 1.20) and those who self-reported NCDs (OR = 1.32-1.33) more frequently utilised dental services. The opposite was true for those in the low wealth index group (OR = 0.79), persons with a low (OR = 0.31) and middle (OR = 0.48) level of education and people who self-rated their health as average (OR = 0.76-0.80). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed a low frequency of visits to a dentist, especially for preventive oral health care. It also confirmed demographic, socio-economic and health-related differences in dental-care utilisation in RS. To minimise those differences, systemic approaches aimed at increasing access to dental care could be an important step. Oral health-promotion policies need to be adopted in the RS.
BACKGROUND: The objective was to estimate the frequency of visits to a dentist and to assess the impact of determinants on dental care utilisation among adults in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the 2010 National Health Survey performed in the RS. A total of 4,128 adults (≥18 years) were interviewed in their homes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between demographic characteristics, socio-economic characteristics, health behaviours, self-rated health, self-reported noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and dental care utilisation. RESULTS: Only 20% of all respondents reported a visit to a dentist in the year preceding the interview. Younger respondents (OR = 0.97), women (OR = 1.30-1.39), urban dwellers (OR = 1.41-1.61), those who were employed (OR = 1.20) and those who self-reported NCDs (OR = 1.32-1.33) more frequently utilised dental services. The opposite was true for those in the low wealth index group (OR = 0.79), persons with a low (OR = 0.31) and middle (OR = 0.48) level of education and people who self-rated their health as average (OR = 0.76-0.80). CONCLUSION: The present study revealed a low frequency of visits to a dentist, especially for preventive oral health care. It also confirmed demographic, socio-economic and health-related differences in dental-care utilisation in RS. To minimise those differences, systemic approaches aimed at increasing access to dental care could be an important step. Oral health-promotion policies need to be adopted in the RS.
Authors: Janko Janković; Sladjana Šiljak; Miloš Erić; Jelena Marinković; Slavenka Janković Journal: Int J Public Health Date: 2017-07-14 Impact factor: 3.380
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