Utilization of dental services in an elderly population.
In 1982-83 the elderly population of Orebro county, Sweden, was studied. Out of 500 randomly sampled individuals, 305 were examined clinically, 158 interviewed by telephone. Both groups were asked about i.a. the length of time since their last dental visit. In the clinical group a treatment need was assessed. Fifty percent of all reported visits to a dentist within the last three years. There were significant differences between age, residence, and especially dental status groups. The figures were slightly higher for the clinically examined group, as compared to the total: Fifty-five percent had visited a dentist within the last three years. However, the differences between the subgroups remained the same. In a multivariate analysis, two variables were significantly related to the utilization of dental services: age, and most significantly dental status. In 1986 a follow-up study was performed on the clinical group. In the years 1983-85, 69% of the subjects had received dental care. There were no differences between age, sex, or residence groups, but there were still a considerable difference between dentulous subjects (84%) and edentulous subjects (43%). The treatment received in 1983-85 was compared to the need registered in 1982-83. Only one variable - total edentulousness - was significantly related to a lower level of treatment received; whereas other variables, e.g. the income variable, were not.
Palmqvist
S
S
Department of Prosthetics, Postgraduate Dental Education Center, Orebro, Sweden.
D000368:Aged; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013548:Sweden