What influences the use of dental services by adults in the UK?

Objectives Optimizing access to and utilization of dental services remains a major public health challenge. The aim of this study was to use Andersen's behavioural model to investigate the factors that influence utilization of dental services and predict oral health outcomes, and to identify ho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Community dentistry and oral epidemiology 2012-08, Vol.40 (4), p.306-314
Main Authors: Marshman, Zoe, Porritt, Jenny, Dyer, Tom, Wyborn, Ceri, Godson, Jenny, Baker, Sarah
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
adults
Age Factors
Aged
Dental care
Dental Care - statistics & numerical data
Dental Care - utilization
Dental health
dental services
Dentistry
Health Behavior
Health care access
Health Care Surveys
Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data
Health Services Needs and Demand - statistics & numerical data
Health services utilization
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Models, Theoretical
Oral Health
Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data
Sex Factors
United Kingdom - epidemiology
Young Adult
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Summary:Objectives Optimizing access to and utilization of dental services remains a major public health challenge. The aim of this study was to use Andersen's behavioural model to investigate the factors that influence utilization of dental services and predict oral health outcomes, and to identify how access could be improved. Methods Secondary analysis was conducted of data from a regional postal survey (n = 10 864) of adults in the UK. Items were chosen to reflect variables of Andersen's behavioural model including predisposing characteristics (deprivation), enabling resources (perceived difficulty accessing a dentist), need (perceived treatment need), health behaviours (reason for attendance and time since the last visit to the dentist) and oral health outcomes (oral health impacts (symptoms, functional limitation and social) and global oral health). Structural equation modelling was used to estimate the direct and indirect pathways between the variables within the model. Results When a combination of indirect and direct effects were taken into account, perceived difficulty accessing the dentist was associated with higher perceived treatment need (β = 0.25, P 
ISSN:0301-5661
1600-0528
DOI:10.1111/j.1600-0528.2012.00675.x