Summary
This study aims to analyze the prevalence of use of oral health services in elderly population in Colombia according to selected socio-demographic and health outcomes. Cross-sectional analysis with information for 2650 subjects ≥ 65 years provided by the 2007 National Public Health Survey. Variables: Use of oral health services, selfrated health, oral health problems, oral pain, dental caries, gum bleeding, sex, educative level and ethnic origin. Multivariate Logistic regressions were conducted for the use of health services and different demographic and health variables by means of Odds Ratio (OR), and 95% Confidence Intervals (95%CI). Analyses were conducted separately for men (M) and women (W). Logistic regression analysis showed that women with university studies (aOR 21.76; 95% CI 9.72–48.73), with dental problems (aOR 3.29; 95% CI 2.26–4.77), specifically gum bleeding (aOR 4.91; 95% CI 1.88–12.80) and men with dental caries (aOR 8.22; 95% CI 4.11–14.41) were more likely to report the recent use of oral health services. Use of oral health services is higher in people belonging to minority groups, but no statistically significant differences were found. Differences in the usage profile for elderly people were found according to socio-demographic and health variables. More research is needed in order to explain some controversial results.
KEY WORDS: oral health, dental health services, health services accessibility, health inequalities.
How to cite this article
AGUDELO-SUÁREZ, A. A.; VIVARES-BUILES, A. M.; POSADA-LÓPEZ, A.; SÁNCHEZ-PATIÑO, D. & MENESES-GÓMEZ, E. J. Use of oral health services in elderly population in Colombia: Paradoxes and controversies. Int. J. Odontostomat., 9(1):5-11, 2015.
