Adult Dental Health Survey, 2009

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) is carried out every ten years, and investigates people's dental health, their experiences of dental care and their access to dental services. The survey results provide important information about the dental health of the nation. This information helps health authorities to effectively plan local dental services and shows the extent to which government dental health targets are being met. The results from the different surveys can be compared to allow changes over time to be understood. The first survey was conducted in 1968 in England and Wales. Similar surveys were also conducted in Scotland in 1972 and in Northern Ireland in 1979. The second ADHS was conducted in England and Wales in 1978. None of these earlier surveys are available from the UK Data Archive. The third survey was conducted in 1988 and was extended to include adults in Scotland and Northern Ireland providing estimates for the whole of the United Kingdom (available from the Archive under SN 2834). The fourth was conducted in 1998 (available under SN 4226) and also covered the whole of the UK. The latest survey in the series took place in 2009 and was carried out in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only (available under SN 6884).The Adult Dental Health Survey, 2009 was commissioned by the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care. As with previous surveys the purpose of the ADHS 2009 was to provide information on the state of adults’ teeth and dental health and to measure changes in dental health over time. The specific aims of the survey were to:establish the condition of the natural teeth and supporting tissuesinvestigate dental experiences, knowledge about and attitudes towards dental care and oral hygienedetermine the state and use made of dentures worn in conjunction with natural teethexamine changes over time in dental health, attitudes and behaviourmonitor the extent to which dental health targets set by the government are being met.For the second edition (August 2012), a new version of the data file was supplied. The depositor has provided the following note: "An updated version of the ADHS 2009 dataset was deposited in August 2012. The Index of Multiple Deprivation variables, IMDE_D, IMDW_D and IMDNI_D, as specified in the documentation, have been included as these were originally omitted in error. The Health and Social Care Information Centre and Office for National Statistics apologise for any inconvenience caused by this omission." Main Topics:Data were collected from a questionnaire and a clinical examination. Variables include, geographies (Strategic Health Authority is the smallest area described), sex, age, ethnic group, household details, socio-economic information (including income, educational attainment, employment, and index of multiple deprivation - deciles), general health and dental health, experience of dental service and treatment, dental examination results (tooth and gum condition), and general survey administrative information (e.g. number of calls made, documentation left, individual/household outcome codes). Standard measures:Oral Health Index Profile-14Oral Impact on Daily Performance ScaleModified Dental Anxiety ScalePUFA Index (records symptoms of sepsis using 3-point scoring system) Basic Erosive Wear Examination – international classification of tooth wear (collected in West Midlands Strategic Health Authority (SHA) only) Basic Periodontal Exam – assesses advance gum disease (collected in South Central SHA only) </ul

Application of geographic information systems and simulation modelling to dental public health: Where next?

Public health research in dentistry has used geographic information systems since the 1960s. Since then, the methods used in the field have matured, moving beyond simple spatial associations to the use of complex spatial statistics and, on occasions, simulation modelling. Many analyses are often descriptive in nature; however, and the use of more advanced spatial simulation methods within dental public health remains rare, despite the potential they offer the field. This review introduces a new approach to geographical analysis of oral health outcomes in neighbourhoods and small area geographies through two novel simulation methods-spatial microsimulation and agent-based modelling. Spatial microsimulation is a population synthesis technique, used to combine survey data with Census population totals to create representative individual-level population datasets, allowing for the use of individual-level data previously unavailable at small spatial scales. Agent-based models are computer simulations capable of capturing interactions and feedback mechanisms, both of which are key to understanding health outcomes. Due to these dynamic and interactive processes, the method has an advantage over traditional statistical techniques such as regression analysis, which often isolate elements from each other when testing for statistical significance. This article discusses the current state of spatial analysis within the dental public health field, before reviewing each of the methods, their applications, as well as their advantages and limitations. Directions and topics for future research are also discussed, before addressing the potential to combine the two methods in order to further utilize their advantages. Overall, this review highlights the promise these methods offer, not just for making methodological advances, but also for adding to our ability to test and better understand theoretical concepts and pathways