Variation in dental service provision among adult migrant public-funded patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine type of care, oral health status and service patterns by country of birth and language.


METHODS
A random sample of public-funded patients (n = 6, 109) was surveyed in 1995-96.


RESULTS
Emergency care was highest among overseas-born patients who spoke a non-English language at home; edentulism was highest among Australian-born/English only patients; while a higher percentage of Australian-born persons were in the periodontal health category (chi 2; p < 0.05). Differences in caries experience were generally small (ANOVA; p < 0.05). Service provision varied by country of birth/language after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics, type of care, and oral health status in six service areas (logistic regression; p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Service patterns may reflect behavioural and cultural factors of patients or providers operating independently of socio-demographic and oral health status variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Variation and potential inequality in service patterns related to cultural factors existed within a group of disadvantaged patients.
Brennan
D S
DS
AIHW Dental Statistics and Research Unit, University of Adelaide, South Australia.
Spencer
A J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009909:Oral Health / Q000592:standards*; D011632:Public Assistance; D012494:Sampling Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013021:South Australia; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*