IADR Abstract Archives
Access to Orthodontic Treatment Among Children by Household-Income in Norway
Objectives: To examine income-related inequalities in access to orthodontic treatment among children in Norway. The cost of orthodontic treatment is high. Therefore, the National Insurance Administration refunds part of the cost of treatment for children under 18 years of age. A policy goal is that access to orthodontic treatment shall be equal to everybody regardless of household income.
Methods: The analyses were carried out using data from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration and Statistics Norway. All persons who live in Norway have a unique personal identification number. This made it possible to merge the data from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration with data from Statistics Norway. Our data file encompasses the whole population of individuals 6 to 18 years from 2013 to 2019 (n = 790 355). The analyses were carried out using logistic regression and ordinary least square regression. The dependent variables were whether an individual received orthodontic treatment or not, and how much reimbursements each individual received. The key independent variable was household income. The control variables were: age, gender, parents’ highest education, place of birth, county of residence.
Results: Household income had a positive effect on the probability of receiving orthodontic treatment and reimbursements. The lowest income group was the reference group. The coefficients of receiving orthodontic treatment according to income increased from 0.022 (95% CI = 0.018-0.026) in the second-lowest income group to 0.07 (95% CI = 0.063-0.072) in highest income group without adjustments. The coefficients of reimbursements also increased from 0.11 (95% CI = 0.07-0.16) in second-lowest income group to 0.31 (95% CI = 0.27-0.36) in the highest income group with adjustments.
Conclusions: There are inequalities in access to orthodontic services according to household income. Children from the low-income group are less likely to have orthodontic treatment and they have lower reimbursements.
Methods: The analyses were carried out using data from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration and Statistics Norway. All persons who live in Norway have a unique personal identification number. This made it possible to merge the data from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration with data from Statistics Norway. Our data file encompasses the whole population of individuals 6 to 18 years from 2013 to 2019 (n = 790 355). The analyses were carried out using logistic regression and ordinary least square regression. The dependent variables were whether an individual received orthodontic treatment or not, and how much reimbursements each individual received. The key independent variable was household income. The control variables were: age, gender, parents’ highest education, place of birth, county of residence.
Results: Household income had a positive effect on the probability of receiving orthodontic treatment and reimbursements. The lowest income group was the reference group. The coefficients of receiving orthodontic treatment according to income increased from 0.022 (95% CI = 0.018-0.026) in the second-lowest income group to 0.07 (95% CI = 0.063-0.072) in highest income group without adjustments. The coefficients of reimbursements also increased from 0.11 (95% CI = 0.07-0.16) in second-lowest income group to 0.31 (95% CI = 0.27-0.36) in the highest income group with adjustments.
Conclusions: There are inequalities in access to orthodontic services according to household income. Children from the low-income group are less likely to have orthodontic treatment and they have lower reimbursements.