RESEARCH PAPER
Reasons why Poles do not use dental care
Andrzej Szpak
4,5
1
Zakład Zdrowia Publicznego,Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku
2
Łomżyńskie Centrum Medyczne Sp. z o.o.
3
Zakład Statystyki Medycznej i Informatyki, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku
4
Wyższa Szkoła Ekonomii i Innowacji w Lublinie
5
Instytut Medycyny Wsi im. Witolda Chodźki w Lublinie
Corresponding author
Dorota Elżbieta Piotrowska
Zakład Zdrowia Publicznego,Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, UL.Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Białystok, Polska
Zakład Zdrowia Publicznego,Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku, UL.Szpitalna 37, 15-295 Białystok, Polska
Med Og Nauk Zdr. 2018;24(3):191-194
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
Poles use dental services much less frequently than the residents of the majority of EU member states. This study aims to identify the reasons for the non-use of dental care, despite such a need in relation to socio-economic factors, such as income, place of residence, education, and age.
Material and methods:
The analysis consists in desk research based on a questionnaire survey conducted by the Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS) in 2013 on 12,532 individuals. The study examines the reasons for the non-use, relying on the replies provided by 528 respondents who admitted that they resigned from dental services despite such a need.
Results:
Income is a statistically significant determinant regarding the reasons for resignations from dental visits (p<0.001). Nearly 60% of the residents with the lowest income resigned from dental services due to their costs, whereas in the group with the highest income, this reason was indicated by only 30%. The impact of other socio-economic factors proved statistically insignificant regarding the reasons for the non-use (p>0.05).
Conclusions:
The differences in the reasons for not using dental services depended on the level of income, probably as a consequence of the exclusion of many dental services from the public health care financing mechanism. Analysis of the reasons for the non-use of dental services should be taken into consideration when planning interventions for reducing health inequalities
Poles use dental services much less frequently than the residents of the majority of EU member states. This study aims to identify the reasons for the non-use of dental care, despite such a need in relation to socio-economic factors, such as income, place of residence, education, and age.
Material and methods:
The analysis consists in desk research based on a questionnaire survey conducted by the Polish Central Statistical Office (GUS) in 2013 on 12,532 individuals. The study examines the reasons for the non-use, relying on the replies provided by 528 respondents who admitted that they resigned from dental services despite such a need.
Results:
Income is a statistically significant determinant regarding the reasons for resignations from dental visits (p<0.001). Nearly 60% of the residents with the lowest income resigned from dental services due to their costs, whereas in the group with the highest income, this reason was indicated by only 30%. The impact of other socio-economic factors proved statistically insignificant regarding the reasons for the non-use (p>0.05).
Conclusions:
The differences in the reasons for not using dental services depended on the level of income, probably as a consequence of the exclusion of many dental services from the public health care financing mechanism. Analysis of the reasons for the non-use of dental services should be taken into consideration when planning interventions for reducing health inequalities
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