EDENTULISM IN RELATION TO SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC STATUS OF PATIENTS

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the edentulism in relation to age, gender, location, level of income and education level of patient. Descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at Prosthodontics Department, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad from October 2017 to September 2018. Diagnosis were made by proper history and examinations. Data were entered regarding patients age, gender and level of education, level of income and residence where patient live in proforma. Out of 218 patients, 61.9% were males and 38% females. Minimum age was 50 years while average mean was 59.59 years with standard deviation 9.68 year. 60% of patients were from rural and 40% were from urban areas, 49.5% patients had primary to intermediate education, 40.8% were uneducated, while only 9.6% were graduate patients. About 72% of patients were having income below half million Pakistani Rupees per year, 26.1% earned half to one million and only 1.8% had income more than one million per year. It was concluded that a significant relationship existed between age, educational level and socioeconomic status which played vital roles in edentulism. Motivation and ongoing dental education are important for the elderly patients to eliminate the delusion that tooth loss is an unavoidable part of the aging process and to identify the availability of prosthetic facilities which helps in reduction of edentuliusm.