Factors related to dental health service usage behavior in the elderly at Ban Ton Ngun Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, Mueang Pan District, Lampang Province

Abstract

This research was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample of this study consisted of 206 subjects. Data were collected by a questionnaire. Data analysis included frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation and Chi-square.

The results of the study indicated that 53.9% was male, 92.2% completed primary education level, 61.7% was married, 84% had universal health care coverage, 90.3% had personal illnesses, 38.9% had 11-20 teeth left in the oral cavity, 58.3% had a high level of believe in dental health, 45.6% had resources that support for dental service at a moderate level, 78.6% had a need to receive dental service at a moderate level, 61.2% had a low level of using dental health care service behavior. Relationship analysis revealed that age, education level, marital status, health care rights, personal illnesses, beliefs in dental health, resources which support for dental service usage, and the need to receive dental services, are associated with dental health service usage behavior among the elderly at Ban Ton Ngun Sub District Health Promoting Hospital, Mueang Pan District, Lampang Province, with statistically significant at the level of 0.05. Gender, occupation, and number of teeth remaining in the oral cavity, have no association.

The results of this study suggested that there should be guidelines and measures to promote oral health for the elderly, appropriate for community lifestyle.  Elderly should be a role model in taking care of their oral health, and also being a role model for others of all age groups, to enable them to have access at a higher level for dental health care services.