Socioeconomic inequalities in self-perceived oral health among adults in Chile

International Journal for Equity in Health

Research

Diego Verdugo¹  Francisco Gallego²  Cristián Larroulet³  Leonor Palomer⁴  Andrea Repetto⁵ 

[1] Department of Economics, Brown University, 64 Waterman Street, 02912, Providence, RI, USA;Department of Economics, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile;Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, WC2A 2AE, London, UK;School of Dentistry, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile;School of Government, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, and Núcleo Milenio Modelos de Crisis (NS 130017), Diagonal Las Torres 2640, 234A, Peñalolén, Santiago, Chile;

关键词: Chile;    Health-related quality of life;    Socioeconomic gradients;    Inequality;    I14;    I15;    C21;    C26;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12939-017-0519-9

 received in 2016-09-10, accepted in 2017-01-09,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThis paper studies the socioeconomic disparities in self-perceived oral health among Chilean adults and in the perceived physical, functional, psychological and social consequences of oral health.MethodsIn February 2011, 1,413 residents of Metropolitan Area of Santiago, Chile, were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire and examined by dentists for dental status and oral health conditions. Only adults 18 to 60 years old affiliated with the public healthcare system were eligible to participate. We estimate socioeconomic gradients in self-perceived oral health and its distinct dimensions. We use the Heckman two-step procedure to control for selection bias given the non-random nature of the sample. In addition, we use a two-equation ordered response model given the discrete nature of the dependent variable.ResultsThere is a non-linear socioeconomic gradient in self-perceived oral health even after controlling for oral health status. The gradient is steep at the lower end of the income distribution and constant at mid-income levels. These socioeconomic disparities are also found for the psychological and social dimensions of self-perceived oral health, but not for the functional limitations and physical pain dimensions.ConclusionsThe findings are consistent with inequities in the access to oral health services due to insufficient provision in the public sector and costly options in the private sector.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017

【 图 表 】

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