IADR Abstract Archives
Utilization of Dental Services Among Low and Middle Income Pregnant, Post-Partum Women and Six-month Post-Partum Women
Objectives: This study aims to explore the difference in the utilization pattern of dental services among pregnant, post-partum and 6mo-post-partum women.
Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey was performed at two maternity and child care hospitals in India that primarily cater to middle and low income communities. Data was collected from 3 groups: 1) Pregnant women in their first trimester; 2) immediate post-partum women (<48hrs post-partum) and 3) 6mo-post-partum women. The primary outcome of interest was participants’ dental service utilization, dichotomized as whether or not a woman reported having sought dental care in the previous 6mo. Self-perceived oral health (SPOH) was calculated based on the four global dimensions- knowledge, function, quality of life and social.
Results: Responses of 450 women were analyzed (150 pregnant, 150 immediate post-partum and 150 6mo-post-partum women). About 40% of the respondents were from Urban areas and about half of them had completed secondary education. Significant differences in the dental attendance pattern was observed between the study groups (p<0.001). Dental attendance among pregnant and 6mo-post-partum women were 60% and 75%, respectively, however, only about 15% of the immediate post-partum women reported to have sought dental care within the 6 months prior to the study. Higher proportion of women who reported to have ‘good’ oral and general health, had sought regular dental care (p=0.007 and 0.003 respectively) as compared to others. After adjusting for all the other variables in the model, women with low educational level (ORa = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.01–2.00), poor self-perceived oral health (ORa = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02–1.14) and post-partum/pregnant women (ORa = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.09–0.24) were found to be less likely to seek regular dental care.
Conclusions: Pattern of dental service utilization among women in this population varied according to their pregnancy status, education and also self-perceived oral health.
Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey was performed at two maternity and child care hospitals in India that primarily cater to middle and low income communities. Data was collected from 3 groups: 1) Pregnant women in their first trimester; 2) immediate post-partum women (<48hrs post-partum) and 3) 6mo-post-partum women. The primary outcome of interest was participants’ dental service utilization, dichotomized as whether or not a woman reported having sought dental care in the previous 6mo. Self-perceived oral health (SPOH) was calculated based on the four global dimensions- knowledge, function, quality of life and social.
Results: Responses of 450 women were analyzed (150 pregnant, 150 immediate post-partum and 150 6mo-post-partum women). About 40% of the respondents were from Urban areas and about half of them had completed secondary education. Significant differences in the dental attendance pattern was observed between the study groups (p<0.001). Dental attendance among pregnant and 6mo-post-partum women were 60% and 75%, respectively, however, only about 15% of the immediate post-partum women reported to have sought dental care within the 6 months prior to the study. Higher proportion of women who reported to have ‘good’ oral and general health, had sought regular dental care (p=0.007 and 0.003 respectively) as compared to others. After adjusting for all the other variables in the model, women with low educational level (ORa = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.01–2.00), poor self-perceived oral health (ORa = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02–1.14) and post-partum/pregnant women (ORa = 0.15; 95% CI: 0.09–0.24) were found to be less likely to seek regular dental care.
Conclusions: Pattern of dental service utilization among women in this population varied according to their pregnancy status, education and also self-perceived oral health.