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INTRODUCTION We investigated associations between counseling by a dentist or physician and quit intentions/ attempts using longitudinal data. METHODS Analyses were performed with longitudinal data from the 2010–2011 Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS). Participants were followed over a one-year period and provided repeated measurements. Multivariable logistic regression was used to measure associations between cessation counseling and study endpoints. All data were weighted to yield nationally representative estimates. RESULTS Of smokers who visited a dentist at both baseline and follow-up in TUS-CPS, 51.7% were not counselled on either occasion;only 19.2% were counselled on both occasions.In contrast, 52.6% of smokers who visited a physician at both baseline and follow-up at 1 year were counseled on both occasions and only 17.6% were not counseled on any occasion. Dentist-only advice at baseline was associated with higher odds of intention to quit in the next 30 days (AOR=1.96;95% CI: 1.04–3.68), but not with a past-year quit attempt. Physician-only advice at baseline was associated with intention to quit in the next 6 months (AOR=1.52;95% CI: 1.18–1.94), as was advice delivered by both a dentist and physician at baseline (AOR=1.54;95% CI: 1.05–2.28). CONCLUSIONS Dental patients are less likely to receive cessation counselling at every visit than medical patients. Intensified efforts are needed to increase counselling within dental settings © 2023 Agaku I. et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0)
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INTRODUCTION Confidence in vaccine safety and effectiveness is an important predictor of vaccine uptake. This study assessed the level of knowledge of vaccination and factors associated with vaccination uptake in 28 EU countries. METHODS A secondary dataset analysis was performed on data from the Eurobarometer on Europeans’ Attitudes Towards Vaccination (March 2019 across 28 EU countries). Knowledge about vaccination was assessed with the Eurobarometer with four true/false questions (range 0–4 correct answers), with high knowledge reported as a score of 3/4 or 4/4. Adjusted regression analyses were performed on all respondents (n=27524) and those who lived with a child aged 0–14 years (n=6005). RESULTS Significant inter-country variability in the knowledge of vaccination was noted across the 28 European Countries, with little intra-country variation by gender and age. Adults who trusted health authorities as a source of information were more likely to have high knowledge about vaccination (AOR=1.29). In contrast, those who reported the internet as a source of information were less likely to have high knowledge (AOR=0.71). Previous vaccination in the past five years increased with a higher knowledge score among adults. Similarly, the odds of previous vaccination for their children were significantly higher among those who scored 3/4 (AOR=2.17;95% CI: 1.41–3.34) and those who scored 4/4 (AOR=3.15;95% CI: 2.01–4.91) than those who answered incorrectly to all questions. CONCLUSIONS Higher socioeconomic status, higher educational level, previous vaccination and higher perceived effectiveness of vaccination were significantly associated with higher knowledge of vaccinations. Improving awareness of the benefits of vaccines is warranted, especially in light of COVID-19 booster vaccinations in Europe © 2022 Vardavas C. et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0)
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: In April 2020, the Japanese government declared a state of emergency owing to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which resulted in reduced workforce and job losses. Furthermore, income is one of the most consistent predictors of dental visits. Therefore, this study examined the association between income changes and dental clinic visits during the COVID-19 state of emergency in Japan. METHODS: An online, self-reported cross-sectional survey about health activities including dental visits during the first COVID-19 state of emergency was conducted in Osaka, Japan (June 23 to July 12, 2020). Among participants with toothaches, the assessment for the association between "refrained from visiting a dentist despite wanting treatment for toothache during the state of emergency (refrained treatment)" and income changes before and after the state of emergency using a multivariate Poisson regression model adjusted for sex, age, self-rated health, frequency of regular dental visits, and employment status. RESULTS: Among 27,575 participants, 3,895 (14.1%) had toothaches, and 1,906 (6.9%) reported refrained treatment. Among people with decreased income (n = 8,152, 29.6% of overall participants), the proportions of the refrained treatment group were 8.0% (income decreased by 1%-49%), 9.9% (50%-99% decreased), and 9.1% (100% decreased). Among participants with toothache, after adjusting for all variables, compared with participants with no income change, we observed significantly higher prevalence ratios (PRs) for refrained treatment in those who experienced a decreased income owing to COVID-19 (1%-49% decrease: PR = 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.005-1.17; 50%-99% decrease: PR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06-1.32; 100% decrease: PR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04-1.33). CONCLUSION: Decreased income was associated with refrained dental treatment during the COVID-19 state of emergency in Osaka, Japan. The economic damage related to the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to oral health inequalities. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: Our study found that individuals with decreased income owing to COVID-19 before and after the state of emergency showed significantly higher prevalence ratios for refraining from visiting a dentist despite wanting treatment for toothache. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution because it provides novel, basic data that economic damages related to the COVID-19 pandemic might expand to oral health inequalities.