title: Prosthetic status and prosthetic needs amongst geriatric fishermen population of Kutch coast, Gujarat, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Literature among fishermen of India is scanty. The external factors like diet, quality of dental hygiene and environmental factors have an effect on oral health. Moreover elderly age group offer very little importance towards their oral health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prosthetic status and prosthetic treatment needs among the geriatric fishermen population of Kutch coast, Gujarat, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 1200 elderly people (above 60 years) of Kutch coast, Gujarat, India. They were interviewed and examined using a proforma designed with the help of WHO Oral Health Survey 1997. Chi square test was used for comparisons. Confidence level and p-value were set at 95% and 5% respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 1200 elderly people, 836 were males and 364 were females. Considering the prosthetic status, majority (76.7%) had no prosthesis followed by full removable dentures (12.3%). An insight into the prosthetic needs showed that majority (27.3%) had a need for multiunit prosthesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, it was seen that overall prosthetic status was low and prosthetic need was high. Therefore new avenues have to be discovered to make the prosthetic treatment readily available to the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Pacific Dental College and Hospital, Debari, Udaipur, India.
authors.forename: Dola Rama Venkata
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, India.
authors.forename: Datla Srinivasa
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, ANIDS, Vishakapatnam, India.
authors.forename: Lakshmu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Naidu
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, PDU Dental College, Solapur, India.
authors.forename: Sumit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Pacific Dental College and Hospital, Debari, Udaipur, India.
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chadha
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, KD Dental College and Hospital, Mathura, India.
authors.forename: Abhinav
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agarwal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D017266:Dental Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005398:Fisheries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D009909:Oral Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data