Factors associated with the dental visiting habits of adolescents in the west of Scotland.
Although little detailed research has been conducted into the factors affecting the dental visiting habits of adolescents, there is evidence that the utilisation of dental services is related to social class background. Amongst the data collected for the 15-year-old cohort of the 'West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study' is information relating to dental visiting and the utilisation of dental services. The results show that while there is an independent adolescent dimension, including gender and smoking, which influences dental visiting, the most important influence is that resulting from the parents' own dental visiting habits. Combined with smoking, this accounts for the social class difference found. It is clearly the case that parents continue to exert an influence on their children well into the adolescent period.
Attwood
D
D
Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow, UK.
West
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P
Blinkhorn
A S
AS
D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012923:Social Class