Disparities in periodontitis risk and healthcare use among individuals with disabilities in Korea: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: We analyzed the relationship between disability status and periodontal disease, focusing on disparities in healthcare utilisation, including outpatient visits and hospitalisation rates, among disability types and severities.

Methods: This study used data from the National Health Insurance Service(NHIS) of Korea, which includes comprehensive records of the insured population. We examined 966,200 individuals with disabilities, grouped into five categories, and applied propensity score matching to compare with a matched control population. Periodontal disease was defined by the Korean Classification of Diseases criteria, and we used chi-square tests, t-tests, multivariate logistic regression, and negative binomial regression.

Results: Individuals with disabilities had higher odds of hospitalisation for periodontitis (OR: 3.83, 95% CI = 3.59-4.08) but lower odds for outpatient visits (OR: 0.68, 95% CI = 0.68-0.69) and dental treatments (OR: 0.73, 95% CI = 0.72-0.73) compared to those without disabilities. The highest hospitalisation rates were among those with mental health disabilities (OR: 13.70, 95% CI = 12.26-15.30). Severe disabilities were associated with increased hospitalisation rates (OR: 7.14, 95% CI = 6.66-7.66) and fewer outpatient visits and treatments.

Conclusion: Individuals with mental health disabilities or severe disabilities experience greater risks of hospitalisation for periodontitis and attend fewer outpatient visits and treatments. Targeted interventions are needed to improve dental care access and reduce disparities.