[Family income, demand and use of dental health care among Norwegian adult population 1983-1987].

Abstract

The aim of this study was to describe changes in demand and utilization of dental services according to family income among adults in Norway from 1983 to 1987. The analysis was performed on two sets of national data, which were representative of the Norwegian population aged 20 years and above. The sample size was 1,289 individuals in 1983 and 1,166 individuals in 1987. The data were analyzed according to a two-part model. The first part determined the probability of whether the consumer had demanded the services or not during the last year. The second part estimated how expenditure depended on income, given some expenditure. Family size, number of teeth present, age, gender and education were entered into the analysis as control variables. For edentulous people, and people with few remaining teeth, there were marked differences in demand and utilization of dental services according to family income both in 1983 and in 1987. During this period, there has been an increase in demand, while utilization has stayed constant. In the population as a whole, the turnover of dental services has increased by the equivalent of 80 "dentists' years work" from 1983 to 1987 due to the increase in demand.