Factors influencing perceived need for dental care by United States military recruits.
This study explores factors that influence perceived need for dental care among US military recruits. The data were collected on a systematic random sample of 2711 US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps recruits between February and July 1994. Participants received a comprehensive oral examination from a dentist and answered perceived need queries on self-administered questionnaires. Using bivariate and logistic regression analyses, we examined the association between demographic and clinical measures and perceived need for dental care. Bivariate results show that, overall, 61% of US military recruits perceive a need for dental care, with statistically significant differences across many demographic and clinical factors. Logistic regression results show that the likelihood of perceived need is influenced by gender, branch of service, dental health class, home region of the US, calculus, bleeding gums, level of decay, and dental utilization.
US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5422, USA.
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Chisick
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Poindexter
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York
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015588:Observer Variation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012649:Self Concept; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless; D014481:United States