Socioeconomic status is associated with dental healthcare utilization among Iranian breast cancer survivors

Abstract

Background: Oral health conditions are a group of complications that are partially associated with breast cancer (BC) treatments. However, evidence on the sociodemographic risk factors of oral health conditions among BC patients is scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the socioeconomic status (SES) and dental health in a population of Iranian female BC patients in 2020. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kerman, Iran. Indices of decayed, extracted, and filled teeth were measured based on clinical examination by a general dentist. Data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews, review of the patients’ medical records, and clinical examination for six months. Data were analyzed by applying univariate and multivariable generalized negative binomial regression (GNBReg). Data were analyzed using the Stata. Results: Data from 1760 BC patients were collected, 1707 of whom were included in the analysis. The mean age of the participants was 46.3±9.8 years. The mean of the total decayed, missing, and filled teeth, and the number of decayed teeth (DT), missing teeth (MT), and filled teeth (FT) were 12.8±5.8, 3.5±3.1, 4.6±5.2, and 4.6±4.4 teeth, respectively. Regarding SES, the number of participants with high, high-middle, low-middle, and low SES were 421, 432, 395 and 459, respectively. According to univariate analysis, there was no significant difference between different SES in mean DMFT (decayed, missing, and filled teeth), while SES was significantly associated with DT, MT and FT among the study participants. Conclusion: Female BC patients in Iran have lower levels of dental health regardless of their SES. As those from different socioeconomic classes are seeking different and mostly inadequate or unsuitable dental healthcare services, tailored interventional programs are needed to address the dental healthcare needs of patients in each socioeconomic class.