Significant differences in the use of healthcare resources of native-born and foreign born in Spain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the last decade, the number of foreign residents in Spain has doubled and it has become one of the countries in the European Union with the highest number of immigrants There is no doubt that the health of the immigrant population has become a relevant subject from the point of view of public healthcare. Our study aimed at describing the potential inequalities in the use of healthcare resources and in the lifestyles of the resident immigrant population of Spain.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-sectional, epidemiological study from the Spanish National Health Survey (NHS) in 2006, from the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. We have worked with individualized secondary data, collected in the Spanish National Health Survey carried out in 2006 and 2007 (SNHS-06), from the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. The format of the SNHS-06 has been adapted to the requirements of the European project for the carrying out of health surveys.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The economic immigrant population resident in Spain, present diseases that are similar to those of the indigenous population. The immigrant population shows significantly lower values in the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and physical activity (OR = 0.76; CI 95%: 0.65–0.89, they nonetheless perceive their health condition as worse than that reported by the autochthonous population (OR = 1.63, CI 95%: 1.34–1.97). The probability of the immigrant population using emergency services in the last 12 months was significantly greater than that of the autochthonous population (OR = 1.31, CI 95%: 1.12–1.54). This situation repeats itself when analyzing hospitalization data, with values of probability of being hospitalized greater among immigrants (OR = 1.39, CI 95%: 1.07–1.81).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The economic immigrants have better parameters in relation to lifestyles, but they have a poor perception of their health. Despite the fact that immigrant population shows higher percentages of emergency attendance and hospitalization than the indigenous population, with respect to the use of healthcare resources, their usage of healthcare resources such as drugs, influenza vaccinations or visits to the dentist is lower.</p

Is COPD associated with periodontal disease? A population-based study in Spain

Ana Lopez-de-Andr&eacute;s,1 Luis Vazquez-Vazquez,2 Maria A Martinez-Huedo,3 Valent&iacute;n Hern&aacute;ndez-Barrera,1 Isabel Jimenez-Trujillo,1 Miguel A Tapias-Ledesma,1 Javier de Miguel-Diez,4,5 Rodrigo Jim&eacute;nez-Garc&iacute;a1 1Preventive Medicine and Public Health Teaching and Research Unit, Health Sciences Faculty, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorc&oacute;n, Spain; 2Human Anatomy and Embryology Teaching and Research Unit, Health Sciences Faculty, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorc&oacute;n, Spain; 3Preventive Medicine, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; 4Respiratory Department, Gregorio Mara&ntilde;on General University Hospital, Medical School, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; 5Instituto de Investigaci&oacute;n Sanitaria Gregorio Mara&ntilde;&oacute;n (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain Background: Periodontal disease is more prevalent and more severe among men and women suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with healthy adults. The objectives of this paper were to assess the association between periodontal disease and COPD, controlling the effect of sociodemographic characteristics, oral health status, lifestyle variables, and comorbidities. Second, we identified which of the variables analyzed were independently associated with periodontal disease among COPD sufferers.Methods: This descriptive study was done with data from the National/European Health Interview Surveys, conducted in years 2006, 2011/12, and 2014 in Spain. We included subjects &ge;40 years of age. COPD status was self-reported. One non-COPD patient was matched by age, gender, and the year of survey for each COPD case. The presence of periodontal disease was defined using the answers &ldquo;my teeth bleed spontaneously or while brushing&rdquo; or/and &ldquo;my teeth move&rdquo; to the question: &ldquo;Do you suffer of any of these dental and oral disorders or diseases?&rdquo; Independent variables included demographic, socioeconomic, and health care-related variables, oral health status, and presence of comorbidities.Results: The prevalence of periodontal disease was higher among COPD patients than their matched non-COPD controls (26.5% vs 22.2%; P&lt;0.001). Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of periodontal disease for subjects with COPD was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.12&ndash;1.30). Suffering mental disorders (AOR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.32&ndash;1.97) was positively associated with higher risk of periodontal disease. Older age, having a private dental health insurance, and university education were variables associated with lower rates of periodontal disease.Conclusion: Prevalence of periodontal disease was higher among those with COPD compared to non-COPD controls. Dentists and physicians should increase their awareness with their COPD patients, especially those who are younger, with lower education, and suffer depression and/or anxiety. Keywords: periodontal disease, COPD, survey, educational leve

Predictors of dental visits for routine check-ups and for the resolution of problems among preschool children

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of dental visits among preschool children and determine the factors associated with using dental services. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,129 fi ve-year-old children from the Pelotas Birth Cohort Study in Pelotas (Southern Brazil) 2004, from September 2009 to January 2010. Use of dental services at least once in the child’s life and the reason for the child’s fi rst dental visit were recorded. The categories assigned for the fi rst dental visit were: routine checkup, resolution of a problem, or never saw a dentist. The oral examinations and interviews were performed in the children’s homes. Socioeconomic aspects and independent variables related to the mother and child were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of dental visits (both categories combined) was 37.0%. The main predictors for a routine visit were higher economic status, mothers with more schooling, and mothers who had received guidance about prevention. Major predictors for a visit because of a problem were having felt pain in the previous six months, mothers with higher education level, and mothers who had received guidance about prevention. Approximately 45.0% of mothers received information about how to prevent cavities, usually from the dentist. Children of mothers who adhered to health programs were more likely to have had a routine dental visit. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of preschool visits to dental services was lower than the rate for medical appointments (childcare). In addition to income and education, maternal behavior plays an important role in routine visits. Pain reported in the last six months and a high number of teeth affected by tooth decay, independent of other factors, were associated with visits for a specific problem. It is important to integrate oral health instruction into maternal and child health programs.Maria Beatriz Junqueira Camargo, Aluísio J D Barros, Paulo Frazão, Alicia Matijasevich, Iná S Santos, Marco Aurélio Peres, Karen Glazer Pere