Saudi Journal of Medicine (SJM)
Volume-4 | Issue-06 | 474-477
Original Research Article
Influence of Geographical and Socioeconomic Factors in Patient Inflow in Hospitals: Original Research
Deepesh Mathur, Jiby Babu, Mereena Joseph, Mohammed Mustafa, Rahul Vinay Chandra Tiwari, Heena Tiwari
Published : June 30, 2019
Abstract
Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) and geographical proximity form dental care unit has been reported to be associated with lack of concern to dental health. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the relationship between SES and geographical factor affecting number of case reporting to the five different dental clinics across India. Materials and Methods: A probability sampling was done to select dental clinic among five major cities across the north India. After selecting the dental clinic a cross sectional study was conducted to assess the relationship between SES and geographical factor affecting number of case reporting to the selected dental clinic of major cities. All the subjects were evaluated and questioned regarding locality from where they arrived, there occupation and annual income to reach to the conclusion of their geographic location from clinic and socioeconomic status. This cross sectional study was carried for a period of six months. After collecting data from all five clinics unpaired t test was done to find out the significance of the study. Results: a total of urban classified patient in five clinics were 2672 whereas low socioeconomic and rural patients were 666. Comparison of mean Urban and Rural OPD frequencies per month over six months in various cities was made on the basis of unpaired t tests. The mean value for different cities between urban and rural population are as follow for Jaipur urban pt. were 43.17 and rural pt. 12.67. For Ahmadabad mean value for urban pt. 87 whereas rural pt. 21.67. For Nagpur and Pune mean value for urban pt. was 95.67 and 101.67 and for urban pt. 27.50 and 23.33. Lastly for Hyderabad mean value for urban pt. was 117.83 and rural pt. 25.83. Unpaired t test for all the five centres showed p value less than 0.001 concluding the difference among the group are highly significant. Conclusion: The dental health care needs are very high both in rural and urban areas in spite of basic facilities available in urban areas. This study demonstrates that the notion of access is a multi-dimensional concept, whose composition varies with location, according to the facility being considered and the health and socio-economic status of the individual concerned. There is an obvious disparity among the rural and urban patients mobilization for dental care needs. Lack of awareness, transport facilities or poor economic condition may provide resistance for rural patients to avail dental care facilities