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Original Articles
Occurrence rate and estimated economic burden of pulp and periapical disease treatment among Korean older adults: a national population-based retrospective study
Hyeonjeong Go, Masae Kuboniwa, Youn-Hee Choi
Epidemiol Health. 2025;47:e2025035.   Published online July 3, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2025035
  • 4,487 View
  • 59 Download
AbstractAbstract AbstractSummary PDF
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Maintaining healthy dentition is essential for the overall health of older adults. Treatment of pulp and periapical disease (PPD) is crucial for preserving teeth. This study assessed the occurrence rate and economic burden of PPD treatment in an older Korean population.
METHODS
Data were obtained for adults aged ≥65 years from the Korean National Health Insurance Services from 2014 to 2018. The occurrence rate was defined as the proportion of individuals who received ≥1 PPD treatment. The economic burden was estimated using both direct and indirect expenditures, calculated from a societal perspective. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate yearly trends in occurrence rate and economic burden.
RESULTS
Direct costs, which included insured and non-insured medical expenses, ranged from US$13.79 million to US$10.47 million. Indirect costs, comprising transportation and time costs, ranged from US$0.89 million to US$0.80 million. Total costs declined from US$14.68 million to US$11.36 million. The occurrence rate of PPD treatment decreased significantly from 1.24% to 0.91% (p<0.05). The economic burden also demonstrated a statistically significant downward trend, with total PPD costs decreasing from 0.00099% to 0.00066% of Korea’s GDP, and from 0.63% to 0.30% of the annual total dental care benefit costs between 2014 and 2018 (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
The occurrence rate and estimated economic burden of PPD treatment significantly decreased among older Korean adults from 2014 to 2018. Conservative approaches to tooth preservation contribute to more effective oral health policies and help reduce the economic burden of oral disease treatments in an aging society.
Summary
Korean summary
· 한국 노년층에서 치수 및 치근단 질환 치료의 발생률과 경제적 부담은 연구 기간 동안 통계적으로 유의미하게 감소했습니다. · 이러한 연구 결과는 보존적 치과 치료가 고령화 사회에서 구강 질환으로 인한 경제적 부담을 줄이는 효과적인 구강 보건 정책이 될 수 있음을 시사합니다.
Key Message
· The occurrence rate and economic burden of pulp and periapical disease (PPD) treatment among older Korean adults have shown a statistically significant decrease over the study period. · These findings suggest that conservative dental treatment can serve as an effective oral health policy for reducing the economic burden of oral diseases in an aging society.
Decomposing economic disparities in risky sexual behaviors among people who inject drugs in Tehran: Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analysis
Mehdi Noroozi, Hamid Sharifi, Alireza Noroozi, Fatemah Rezaei, Mohammad Rafi Bazrafshan, Bahram Armoon
Epidemiol Health. 2017;39:e2017049.   Published online November 5, 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2017049
  • 22,469 View
  • 248 Download
  • 4 Web of Science
  • 3 Crossref
AbstractAbstract PDF
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To our knowledge, no previous study has systematically assessed the role of economic status in risky sexual behavior among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran. In this study, we used Blinder-Oaxaca (BO) decomposition to explore the contribution of economic status to inequality in unprotected sex among PWID in Tehran and to decompose it into its determinants.
METHODS
Behavioral surveys among PWID were conducted in Tehran, the capital city of Iran, from November 2016 to April 2017. We employed a cross-sectional design and snowball sampling methodology. We constructed the asset index (weighted by the first principal component analysis factor) using socioeconomic data and then divided the variable into 3 tertiles. We used the BO method to decompose the economic inequality in unprotected sex.
RESULTS
Of the 520 recruited individuals, 20 were missing data for variables used to define their economic status, and were therefore excluded from the analysis. Not having access to harm reduction programs was the largest factor contributing to the economic disparity in unprotected sex, accounting for 5.5 percentage points of the 21.4% discrepancy. Of the unadjusted total economic disparity in unprotected sex, 52% was unexplained by observable characteristics included in the regression model. The difference in the prevalence of unprotected sex between the high-income and low-income groups was 25%.
CONCLUSIONS
Increasing needle syringe program coverage and improving human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge are essential for efforts to eliminate inequalities in HIV risk behaviors among PWID.
Summary

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by  
  • Prevalence and predictors of condom use among people who inject drugs in Georgia
    Maia Kajaia, Maia Butsashvili, Jack A. DeHovitz, George Kamkamidze, Lasha Gulbiani, Tinatin Abzianidze, Mamuka Djibuti
    Harm Reduction Journal.2025;[Epub]     CrossRef
  • FACTORS OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION SYMPTOMS AMONG WOMEN IN INDONESIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
    Aulia Salmaddiina, Almira Nur Hanifah
    Journal of Public Health Research and Community Health Development.2024; 8(1): 31.     CrossRef
  • Relationship between sexually transmitted infections knowledge and the sexual behavior of Brazilian future doctors
    Maria Clara Sales do Nascimento, Luiz Ricardo Cerqueira Freitas Junior, Isabel Carmen Fonseca Freitas, Katia de Miranda Avena, Bruno Bezerril Andrade
    Frontiers in Medicine.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
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