Regional Variation in Restorative Treatment Need among Finnish Young People

Saujanya Karki; Antti Kämppi; Tarja Tanner; Jari Päkkilä; Marjo Seppänen; Leo Tjäderhane; Vuokko Anttonen; Pertti Patinen

doi:10.1155/2021/4852056

Regional Variation in Restorative Treatment Need among Finnish Young People

Int J Dent. 2021 Nov 10:2021:4852056. doi: 10.1155/2021/4852056. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Saujanya Karki¹, Antti Kämppi², Tarja Tanner^{1

3}, Jari Päkkilä⁴, Marjo Seppänen^{5

6

7}, Leo Tjäderhane^{2

3}, Vuokko Anttonen^{1

3}, Pertti Patinen⁸

Affiliations

¹ Research Unit of Oral Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
² Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
³ Medical Research Centre Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
⁴ Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
⁵ The Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
⁶ Oulu Deaconess Institute Foundation Sr., Department of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Oulu, Finland.
⁷ Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
⁸ Centre for Military Medicine, Finnish Defence Forces, Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the regional variation in restorative treatment need among Finnish young people based on the socioeconomic factors.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 20 garrisons of the Finnish Defence Forces in January and July 2011. The study population comprised 13,819 Finnish conscripts born in the beginning of 1990s, including females. A computer-based survey was done together with clinical oral examination to gather background information, e.g., educational status. Furthermore, average annual income of the conscript's residence municipality was achieved from the Statistics of Finland. The zip code of the place of residence of each conscript was later extracted from the Mildoc^® system. Georeferenced place of residence and income status were merged as information on provinces' level in a dataset. The association between the outcome variable and explanatory variables was determined by using the generalized linear mixed model, and geomaps were constructed.

Results: Mean D value was 1.41 ranging from 0.89 (Kymenlaakso) to 2.33 (Kainuu). Higher education and high-income level were protective factors for restorative treatment need. Restorative treatment need was also low in those areas with high (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56-0.87) and medium (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.70-0.89) yearly income compared to low yearly income. The high odds for the need of restorative treatment were discovered in Northern Ostrobothnia (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.53-3.33) followed by Central Ostrobothnia (OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.17-3.70), Uusimaa (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.16-2.08), and Central Finland (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.10-2.16) compared to Varsinais-Suomi.

Conclusion: In conclusion, there is a significant regional variation in restorative treatment need among Finnish young people in their twenties based on the socioeconomic factors.