Pei-Chun Wen|Chiachi Bonnie Lee|Ya-Hui Chang|Liu Ku|Chung?Yi Li
Demographic and rural–urban variations in dental service utilization in Taiwan
National Cheng Kung University|China Medical University|National Cheng Kung University|National Cheng Kung University|National Cheng Kung University
study assesses whether demographic ruralurban variations dental care service utilization still exist taiwan 15 years implementation universal health insurance coverage largely reduces financial barriers dental carethe data analysed cohort study based random sample one million beneficiaries retrieved taiwans national health insurance research database nhird 2005 followup made 2005 2010 poisson regression models used explore associations dental service utilization rates urbanization demographic characteristicsthe highest lowest rates preventive dental care obtained people aged 5564 years 57921000 personyears 15 years 17861000 personyears corresponding figures curative care 159201000 personyears 15 years 75721000 personyears 3544 years compared people living least urbanized areas urbanized areas presented significantly higher rates preventive curative dental services greater estimated rate ratio noted preventive services curative services 157 vs 142the urbanrural disparity dental care service utilization still exists 15 years implementation national health insurance taiwan suggesting factors affordability may play roles disparity