engleski

Social status influence on dental condition of nursing home residents

OBJECTIVES: Analysis of the influence of social status on the dental status among nursing home residents in Zagreb, Croatia. METHODS: The research included 348 examinees, all of them being the users of the Zagreb homes for the old and disabled. Following elements of the social status were examined (level of education, monthly income, gender, age) on Decayed, Missing, Filled (DMF) index, and Oral Health Index (OHI) of tooth. The data collected was statistically processed with SPSS computer program. RESULTS: A higher level of education implies a greater number of people having a dentist (p=0.000) and visiting one more frequently (p= 0.000), a smaller number of plaque layers on the teeth (p=0.003), better preserved natural teeth (p= 0.006) and a smaller Decayed, Filled (DF) index (more fillings and less caries) p= 0.034. Male persons more often preserve their natural teeth. CONCLUSION: Elements of the social status have displayed a strong influence on the dental status. Among these, the level of education proved to be the most important element having a relevant influence on all variables. This study was supported by grant 065-0352851-0410 of MZOS, Croatia.

social status; dental status; nursing home residents

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