Influence of predisposing, enabling, and health care need variables on the use of dental health services among Mexican adolescents from a semi-rural location

Pontigo-Loyola, A.ér.P.; Medina-Solís, C.E.; Márquez-Corona, M.ía.d.L.; Vallejos-Sánchez, A.A.; Minaya-Sánchez, M.; Escoffié-Ramírez, M.; Maupomé, G.

Gaceta Medica de Mexico 148(3): 218-226

2012


ISSN/ISBN: 0016-3813
PMID: 22820354
Document Number: 656363
The purpose of this study was to quantify the influence of some of the predisposing, enabling, and healthcare need variables on dental health services utilization (DHSU) among Mexican adolescents. This is a cross-sectional analytical study including 1,538 Mexican teenagers 12 and 15 years of age. The dependent variable was DHSU in the previous 12 months. Data were collected through a questionnaire and included demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors. The study included an oral examination. The analysis included nonparametric statistics and a logistic regression model. Of the 1,538 adolescents, 688 were 12 years old and 850 were 15 years old. Girls accounted for 49.9%. The prevalence of DHSU was 15%. In the final model we found that having moved at least once from the community in which the child was born was associated with DHSU (OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.10-1.40; p > 0.05), just as it was observed for purchasing purified water for home consumption instead of relying on piped water supplies (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.03-2.25), higher educational attainment of the mother (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.02-1.91) and of the father (OR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.09-3.19). Having more sound teeth (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94-0.98), and having at least one tooth with caries (OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01-1.18) were also associated with DHSU (p > 0.05). The percentage of subjects with DHSU in the prior 12 months was low compared with other studies. Our identification of the variables associated with DHSU (often surrogates of socioeconomic position) indicated the existence of oral health inequalities and the need to develop strategies to reduce the gaps identified.

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