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People would rather see a physician than a dentist when experiencing a long-standing oral ulceration. A population-based study in Spain.
- Source :
- Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral y Cirugia Bucal; Jul2020, Vol. 25 Issue 4, pe455-e460, 6p
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Background: Primary care physicians have been reported to be the first choice for patients with oral ulcerations. This study investigates the health-seeking behaviour of lay public in Galicia (North-western Spain) if experiencing a long-standing oral ulceration. Material and Methods: Cross-sectional population-based survey of randomly selected respondents conducted from March 1, 2015 to 30 June 2016. Results: A total of 5,727 pedestrians entered the study (response rate: 53%), mostly in the 45-64 age group (30.2%; n=1,728), 47.7% of them (n=2,729) were males. Most participants (42.1%; n=2,411) reported to visit their dentist once a year and had secondary or compulsory education as their highest educational achievement (28.18%, n=1,614; 28%, n=1,600 respectively). When questioned what they would do if they had a wound/ulceration lasting longer than 3 weeks, most participants answered they would go to see their primary care physician (62.8%; n=3,597) and less than one quarter of the sample (23.8%; n=1,371) would seek consultation with their dentist. Conclusions: General Galician population would seek professional consultation about a long-standing oral ulceration, relying mostly on primary care physicians. Those neglecting these lesions are elderly, less-schooled people and unaware of oral cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- MOUTH ulcers
PHYSICIANS
DENTISTS
COMPULSORY education
ORAL cancer
PEDESTRIANS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 16984447
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Supplemental Index
- Journal :
- Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral y Cirugia Bucal
- Publication Type :
- Periodical
- Accession number :
- 147186492
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.4317/medoral.23292