UTILIZATION OF DENTAL SERVICES IN RELATION TO SOCIOECONOMIC AND HEALTH FACTORS IN THE MIDDLE-AGED AND ELDERLY SWEDISH POPULATION

The aims of this study were to describe the change in reported time si nce the latest visit to a dentist between cen the years 1980/81 and 19 88/89 and the reported use of dental services in relation to age, dent al state. and socioeconomic and hearth characteristics in a sample of the Swedish population in 1988/89. The studies are based on interviews by Statistics Sweden about the living conditions. In the investigatio ns in 1980/81, 14,964 inhabitants between 16 and 84 years of age parti cipated, and in 1988/89, 13,309 inhabitants. In all age groups there w as a significantly higher frequency of reported visits to a dentist la st year in 1988/89 than in 1980/81. In the age group 50-64 years old t his figure increased from 54% to 75%, and in the ape group 65-84 years old it increased from 26% to 39%. In the investigation in 1988/89 abo ut 75% of the dentulous women in all age groups up to 75 years reporte d visiting a dentist last year. The relative risk for not visiting a d entist last year, adjusted for age, gender, and dental state, was high er in dentulous subjects with low income and education, not married, n ot native-born, living in rural areas, smoking, and low social and phy sical activity. The results of the logistic regression analysis showed that. among the elderly, functional ability and general health factor s have lower significance for time since las; visit to a dentist than socioeconomic, social support, and life-sh le factors.