Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis
Abstract Background Global crises and disease pandemics, such as COVID-19, negatively affect dental care utilization by several factors, such as infection anxiety, disrupted supply chains, economic contraction, and household income reduction. Exploring the pattern of this effect can help policy make...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Oral Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-03740-2 |
| _version_ | 1827388109923287040 |
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| author | Amir akbari Mohammad Reza khami Amine Beymouri Solmaz Akbari |
| author_facet | Amir akbari Mohammad Reza khami Amine Beymouri Solmaz Akbari |
| author_sort | Amir akbari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Global crises and disease pandemics, such as COVID-19, negatively affect dental care utilization by several factors, such as infection anxiety, disrupted supply chains, economic contraction, and household income reduction. Exploring the pattern of this effect can help policy makers to be prepared for future crises. The present study aimed to investigate the financial impact of COVID‐19 disruptions on dental service utilization. Methods Data on the number of dental services offered in Dental School Clinics of Tehran University of Medical Sciences was collected over a period of two years, before and after the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. School of Dentistry operates two clinics; one with competitive service fees and one with subsidies. Regression analyses were performed to determine the effect of the pandemic on the number of dental services divided by dental treatment groups and these clinics. The analyses were adjusted for seasonal patterns and the capacity of the clinics. Results There was a significant drop in dental services offered in both clinics across all dental groups in the post-COVID period (on average, 77 (39.44%) fewer services per day). The majority of the procedure loss happened in the Private clinic. Adjusting for seasonal patterns and the service capacity, regression results documented 54% and 12% service loss in Private and Subsidized clinics following the pandemic, respectively. Difference-in-difference analysis documented that the Subsidized clinic performed 40% more treatments than the Private clinic in the post-COVID period. Conclusions Pandemic –reduction in dental care utilization could have long-term ramifications for the oral health of the population, and policymakers need to provide supportive packages to the affected segments of the economy to reverse this trend. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:12:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fa12b578d38b4143b3cc9a5b9f34d355 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6831 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:12:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Oral Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-fa12b578d38b4143b3cc9a5b9f34d3552024-01-07T12:51:19ZengBMCBMC Oral Health1472-68312024-01-012411910.1186/s12903-023-03740-2Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysisAmir akbari0Mohammad Reza khami1Amine Beymouri2Solmaz Akbari3Finance & Business Economics, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster UniversityResearch Center for Caries Prevention, Dentistry Research Institute, Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Periodontics, School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical SciencesAbstract Background Global crises and disease pandemics, such as COVID-19, negatively affect dental care utilization by several factors, such as infection anxiety, disrupted supply chains, economic contraction, and household income reduction. Exploring the pattern of this effect can help policy makers to be prepared for future crises. The present study aimed to investigate the financial impact of COVID‐19 disruptions on dental service utilization. Methods Data on the number of dental services offered in Dental School Clinics of Tehran University of Medical Sciences was collected over a period of two years, before and after the initial COVID-19 outbreak in Iran. School of Dentistry operates two clinics; one with competitive service fees and one with subsidies. Regression analyses were performed to determine the effect of the pandemic on the number of dental services divided by dental treatment groups and these clinics. The analyses were adjusted for seasonal patterns and the capacity of the clinics. Results There was a significant drop in dental services offered in both clinics across all dental groups in the post-COVID period (on average, 77 (39.44%) fewer services per day). The majority of the procedure loss happened in the Private clinic. Adjusting for seasonal patterns and the service capacity, regression results documented 54% and 12% service loss in Private and Subsidized clinics following the pandemic, respectively. Difference-in-difference analysis documented that the Subsidized clinic performed 40% more treatments than the Private clinic in the post-COVID period. Conclusions Pandemic –reduction in dental care utilization could have long-term ramifications for the oral health of the population, and policymakers need to provide supportive packages to the affected segments of the economy to reverse this trend.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-03740-2Dental economicsHealth service accessibilitySocioeconomic factorsOral health utilization |
| spellingShingle | Amir akbari Mohammad Reza khami Amine Beymouri Solmaz Akbari Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis BMC Oral Health Dental economics Health service accessibility Socioeconomic factors Oral health utilization |
| title | Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis |
| title_full | Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis |
| title_fullStr | Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis |
| title_short | Dental service utilization and the COVID-19 pandemic, a micro-data analysis |
| title_sort | dental service utilization and the covid 19 pandemic a micro data analysis |
| topic | Dental economics Health service accessibility Socioeconomic factors Oral health utilization |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-03740-2 |
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