The Uneven Playing Field: Provider Participation and Regional Disparities in Oral Health Examination Rates in South Korea.

IF 2.2 4区 医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Hye-Lim Hong, Nam-Hee Kim
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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated regional disparities in adult oral health examination rates in South Korea, despite free oral health screenings by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). It focused on the impact of provider factors, such as the availability of dental clinics and non-dental institutions.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of 2022 data from 229 districts was conducted. The dependent variable was the adult oral health examination rate, while independent variables included provider factors, community health status, lifestyle, demographic, and socioeconomic characteristics. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analyses identified significant predictors.

Results: Non-metropolitan areas had higher oral health examination rates (27.4%) than metropolitan areas (25.3%). Correlation analysis showed the general health examination rate (r=0.583) and the number of screening institutions (r=0.234) were the strongest predictors (p<0.001). Regression analysis showed a 1% increase in general health examination rates led to a 1.44% rise in oral health examination rates (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Despite NHIS policies, significant regional disparities persist, showing that providing screenings alone is insufficient. Integrating oral health screenings with general health examinations is necessary. Policymakers must promote collaboration between dental and non-dental providers to ensure equitable, integrated health services, enhancing preventive care and reducing disparities.

不公平的竞争环境:韩国口腔健康检查率的提供者参与和地区差异。
目的:本研究调查了韩国成人口腔健康检查率的地区差异,尽管国家健康保险服务(NHIS)提供免费口腔健康检查。它侧重于提供者因素的影响,例如是否有牙科诊所和非牙科机构。方法:对229个地区的2022份数据进行横断面分析。因变量为成人口腔健康检查率,自变量为提供者因素、社区健康状况、生活方式、人口统计学和社会经济特征。描述性统计、Pearson相关和多元回归分析确定了显著的预测因子。结果:非都市地区口腔健康检出率(27.4%)高于都市地区(25.3%)。相关分析显示,一般健康检查率(r=0.583)和筛查机构数量(r=0.234)是最强的预测因子(p)。结论:尽管有国家卫生健康系统政策,但地区差异仍然显著,仅提供筛查是不够的。将口腔健康检查与一般健康检查结合起来是必要的。决策者必须促进牙科和非牙科提供者之间的合作,以确保公平、综合的卫生服务,加强预防保健并缩小差距。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Epidemiology and Health
Epidemiology and Health PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-
CiteScore
6.30
自引率
2.60%
发文量
106
审稿时长
4 weeks
期刊介绍: Epidemiology and Health (epiH) is an electronic journal publishing papers in all areas of epidemiology and public health. It is indexed on PubMed Central and the scope is wide-ranging: including descriptive, analytical and molecular epidemiology; primary preventive measures; screening approaches and secondary prevention; clinical epidemiology; and all aspects of communicable and non-communicable diseases prevention. The epiH publishes original research, and also welcomes review articles and meta-analyses, cohort profiles and data profiles, epidemic and case investigations, descriptions and applications of new methods, and discussions of research theory or public health policy. We give special consideration to papers from developing countries.
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