Social network and regular dental care utilisation in elderly men. Results from the population study "Men born in 1914", Malmö, Sweden.
In connection with an extensive examination of their health status, a representative sample of 68-year-old men (n = 621) in the city of Malmö, Sweden, were interviewed in detail regarding different aspects of the social network, social support and social influence of the individual, dental care utilisation and perceived dental health. 79% of the dentate and 7% of the edentulous subjects made regular dental visits. The most important reason for not visiting a dentist regularly was "no perceived need". Social class and different aspects of social network and social support were in univariate analyses associated with regular dental care. In the multivariate analysis, social anchorage and social participation, subconcepts of the social network, and social class showed independent associations with regular dental care. The addition of the social network and social support variables yielded a more differentiated and thereby a more valid picture of the determinants of regular dental care utilisation. These factors should therefore be considered when public health efforts to increase the number of elderly persons receiving regular dental care are made.
Rickardsson
B
B
Department of Community Dentistry, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Hanson
B S
BS
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012847:Single Person; D012923:Social Class; D012931:Social Environment; D012934:Social Isolation; D012944:Social Support; D013548:Sweden