Document Detail


Summary of: targeting dental resources to reduce inequalities in oral health in the North East of England - a health equity audit methodology to evaluate the effects of practice location, practice population and deprivation.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20706250     Owner:  NLM     Status:  PubMed-not-MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
AIM: To use nationally available data sets to undertake an equity audit to support the targeting of resources to meet the needs of patients from deprived communities, in areas where levels of poor oral health remain higher than the rest of the population as a whole.
METHODS: Postcodes of 224,107 patients in County Durham were matched to Lower Super Output Areas (LSOA) for each practice. Deprivation scores were identified for each LSOA. The postcode of dental practices (59) was matched to the LSOA and the practice population divided into quintiles from the most to the least deprived areas.
RESULTS: Results indicated that the more deprived the area in which a dental practice was located, the greater the proportion of the practice population accessing care from the most deprived quintile. The size of the practice alone was not directly related to meeting the needs of a more deprived population.
CONCLUSIONS: The methodology used in this study can be used to identify inequalities and inequities in oral health in different areas. In the audit area improving access to dental services for those in most need, was best tackled by targeted investment into dental practices located in deprived communities. Audits are recommended to insure a fare distribution of resources to meet local population needs.
Authors:
E Rooney
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comment; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  British dental journal     Volume:  209     ISSN:  1476-5373     ISO Abbreviation:  Br Dent J     Publication Date:  2010 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-08-13     Completed Date:  2010-11-30     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7513219     Medline TA:  Br Dent J     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  124-5     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Dental Public Health.
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MeSH Terms
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Comments/Corrections
Comment On:
Br Dent J. 2010 Aug 14;209(3):E3   [PMID:  20706226 ]

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