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Table 1 Distribution of population characteristics and bivariate analysis of perceived unmet dental care needs

From: Inequality in unmet dental care needs among South Korean adults

Variables

Experience of unmet dental care needs

(% or mean ± SE)

No experience of unmet dental care needs

(% or mean ± SE)

P value

Total (n = 17,141)

43.9 (n = 7517)

56.1 (n = 9624)

 

Demographic factors

 Sex

  

<0.0001

  Male (n = 7261)

40.8

59.2

 

  Female (n = 9880)

47

53

 

 Age (years)

  

<0.0001

  19-39 (n = 5744)

46.2

53.8

 

  40-64 (n = 7553)

44.2

55.8

 

  65 or older (n = 3844)

35.9

64.1

 

 Marital status

  

0.0396

  Married (n = 12,201)

43.9

56.1

 

  Separated/divorced/widowed (n = 2537)

46.9

53.1

 

  Single (n = 2312)

42.4

57.6

 

Socioeconomic factors

 Education level

  

0.0121

  University or higher (n = 4351)

43.4

56.6

 

  High school (n = 5882)

44.6

55.4

 

  Middle school (n = 1909)

46

54

 

  Elementary or lower (n = 4965)

42.5

57.5

 

 Employment status

  

0.0220

  Employed (n = 9866)

44.6

55.4

 

  Unemployed (n = 7159)

42.9

57.1

 

 Income quartile

  

<0.0001

  4th quartile: High (n = 4180)

37

63

 

  3rd quartile: Mid-high (n = 4195)

42.7

57.3

 

  2nd quartile: Mid-low (n = 4156)

47.7

52.3

 

  1st quartile: Low (n = 4181)

48.8

51.2

 

Dental need factors

 Normative treatment needs

  

<0.0001

  No treatment needs (n = 10,739)

36.1

63.9

 

  Treatment needs (n = 6018)

57.1

42.9

 

 Self-perceived oral status

  

<0.0001

  Good (n = 2053)

19.7

80.3

 

  Fair (n = 6528)

34.8

65.2

 

  Poor (n = 8271)

57.7

42.3

 

Oral health-related factors

 Number of decayed teeth (n = 18,406)

1.24 ± 0.03

0.58 ± 0.02

<0.0001a

 Periodontal disease

  

<0.0001

  No (n = 10,570)

42.1

57.9

 

  Yes (n = 5425)

48.7

51.3

 

 Number of missing teeth (n = 18,406)

3.02 ± 0.09

3.41 ± 0.09

<0.0001a

  1. The total number of answers in subgroups does not equal the total number of subjects in this study, because subjects with missing answers were excluded from the analysis
  2. Individual sample weights and the complex sample design including stratification and primary sampling units were considered in the analysis
  3. SE, standard error
  4. Significance set at P < 0.05. All P values except that for mean number of decayed teeth and missing teeth derived from chi-square test
  5. a Derived from t-test