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Bommireddy VS, Pachava S, Ravoori S, et al. Socio-economic Status, Needs, and Utilization of Dental Services among Rural Adults in a Primary Health Center Area in Southern India. J Int Oral Health. 2014;6(6):56-60
Bommireddy, V. S., Pachava, S., Ravoori, S., Sanikommu, S., Talluri, D., & Vinnakota, N. R. (2014). Socio-economic Status, Needs, and Utilization of Dental Services among Rural Adults in a Primary Health Center Area in Southern India. Journal of international oral health : JIOH, 6(6), 56-60.
Bommireddy, Vikram Simha, et al. "Socio-economic Status, Needs, and Utilization of Dental Services among Rural Adults in a Primary Health Center Area in Southern India." Journal of international oral health : JIOH vol. 6,6 (2014): 56-60.
Bommireddy VS, Pachava S, Ravoori S, Sanikommu S, Talluri D, Vinnakota NR. Socio-economic Status, Needs, and Utilization of Dental Services among Rural Adults in a Primary Health Center Area in Southern India. J Int Oral Health. 2014 Nov-Dec;6(6):56-60. PMID: 25628485; PMCID: PMC4295457.
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J Int Oral Health. 2014 Nov-Dec;6(6):56-60.

Socio-economic Status, Needs, and Utilization of Dental Services among Rural Adults in a Primary Health Center Area in Southern India.

Journal of international oral health : JIOH

Vikram Simha Bommireddy, Srinivas Pachava, Srinivas Ravoori, Suresh Sanikommu, Devaki Talluri, Narayana Rao Vinnakota

Affiliations

  1. Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
  2. Professor and Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
  3. Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sibar Institute of Dental Sciences, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.

PMID: 25628485 PMCID: PMC4295457

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The oral disease burden in India is showing a steady increase in the recent years. Utilization of dental care being the major factor affecting the oral health status of the population is used as an important tool in oral health policy decision-making and is measured in terms of the number of dental visits per annum.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional house to house questionnaire survey was conducted in three rural clusters which were randomly selected from a total of eight clusters served by a primary health center. Simple random sampling was used to select 100 houses from each cluster. Screening was done to examine the existing oral diseases. A total of 385 completed questionnaires were collected from 300 houses.

RESULTS: Of 385 study subjects, 183 have experienced previous dental problems. Major dental problem experienced by the study subjects was toothache (68.85%) and the treatment underwent was extraction (50.27%). Most preferred treatment centers by the study subjects were private dental hospital (68.25%) and reason identified was accessibility which constituted (45.24%) of all the reasons given. Negative attitude toward dental care is one of the important barriers; 50.8% of the non-utilizers felt dental treatment is not much important.

CONCLUSION: Person's attitude, lack of awareness, and affordability remain the barriers for utilization of dental services. Effective methods have to be exercised to breach such barriers.

Keywords: Needs; primary health center; socioeconomic status; utilization

References

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