Self reported use of dental services among employed adults in Sri Lanka.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the patterns and variables associated with self-reported use of dental services among employed adults in Sri Lanka.


METHODS
A cross sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire.


METHODS
Five representative public sector institutions in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka.


METHODS
A total of 210 employees.


RESULTS
Ninety per cent of the employees had used dental services, the majority for symptomatic reasons. Of the respondents, 63% had visited a dentist in the preceding 24 months. According to the logistic regression analysis, gender and presence of pain within the past six months were significant predictors of dental utilisation.


CONCLUSIONS
Andersen and Newman's behavioural model of health services utilisation was of limited value in explaining dental utilisation of this sample of employed adults as only one predisposing factor and a single factor related to need were significant predictors of the use of dental services.
Ekanayake
Lilani
L
Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. lilani@cdh.pdn.ac.lk
Mendis
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000628:therapy; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017150:Public Sector; D012737:Sex Factors; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014098:Toothache / Q000628:therapy