Effect of time costs on demand for dental services among adults in Norway in 1975 and 1985.
The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of travel time, time spent on a waiting list and time spent in the waiting room on demand for dental services in Norway. The analysis was performed on two sets of national data from 1975 and 1985, and on one set of local data from 1987. The national data were representative of the non-institutionalized Norwegian population aged 20 yr and above. Travel time had an effect on demand in 1975, but not in 1985. Time spent on a waiting list had no opportunity cost, and did not influence demand. There was a statistically significant association between time spent in the waiting room and demand. However, this association disappeared when the effect of dental attendance pattern was controlled for. Regular attenders had shorter waiting times than those who were irregular attenders. This study has shown that factors such as presence of teeth, family income, and age are more important than travel time on demand for dental services.
Grytten
J
J
Institute of Community Dentistry, University of Oslo, Norway.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001336:Automobiles; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D014186:Transportation