Abstract
The provision of oral health care services is one of the global challenges under the realization of universal health coverage in many countries. Despite the increasing importance of oral health care in an aging society, the disparities in the provision of oral care in Japan have not been clarified. Therefore, this study investigated the status of oral and dental care provision using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups (NDB) at the level of prefectures and secondary medical care areas. Additionally, a multiple regression model was applied to identify the influence of human resources in oral care services and economic factors on the standardized claims data ratio (SCR) of total dental receipts. The results showed that the total amount of oral care provided tended to be higher in metropolitan areas, with bimodal peaks in children aged 5–9 and adults in their 70s. The SCR for dental caries showed little difference nationally, but SCR for periodontal disease tended to be higher in prefectures including metropolitan areas. In a multiple regression model, the number of dentists and prefectural income per capita influenced the SCR of total dental receipts. In secondary medical care areas, some depopulated areas are supplemented by adjacent areas. These results suggest that oral health care services in the national health insurance system are generally well provided; however, they are likely to be influenced by human resources and economic disparities, and regional differences may occur in the care of periodontal diseases.
Highlights
In 2020, the WHO General Assembly adopted the achievement of better oral health as part of the Universal Health Coverage and Non-Communicable Diseases agenda for2030 [1]
Poor oral health has been reported to be associated with a higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) [4,5,6,7], diabetes [8], pneumonia mortality [9,10,11], and cancer [9,12]
We investigated the provision of oral and dental health care services at the level of prefectures and secondary medical care areas using the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups (NDB)
Summary
In 2020, the WHO General Assembly adopted the achievement of better oral health as part of the Universal Health Coverage and Non-Communicable Diseases agenda for2030 [1]. Oral diseases are prevalent worldwide and are known to be a serious health and economic burden, significantly reducing the quality of life [2]. It has been reported that poor oral health in older people is associated with a high risk of subsequent deterioration in general health [3]. Poor oral health has been reported to be associated with a higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) [4,5,6,7], diabetes [8], pneumonia mortality [9,10,11], and cancer [9,12]. According to the United Nations, the world’s population is aging rapidly, and people aged 65 years and over are expected to be one in six people worldwide by 2050 [13].
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