Table 1.
Distribution of participants by perceived dental treatment needs
| ALL (n = 596) | Perceived dental treatment needs |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (n = 216) n (%) | No need (n = 380) n (%) | P-value⁎ | ||
| Age (mean ± SD) | 83.8 ± 4.1 | 83.9 ± 4.1 | 83.8 ± 4.1 | 0.91 |
| Country of birth | ||||
| Australia | 307 (51.5) | 97 (44.9) | 210 (55.3) | 0.04 |
| Greece/Italy | 144 (24.2) | 57 (26.4) | 87 (22.9) | |
| Others | 145 (24.3) | 62 (28.7) | 83 (21.8) | |
| Income† | ||||
| Low | 240 (40.3) | 104 (48.1) | 136 (35.8) | 0.01 |
| Middle | 135 (22.7) | 39 (18.1) | 96 (25.3) | |
| High | 221 (37.1) | 73 (33.8) | 148 (38.9) | |
| Comorbidities (4 or more) | 176 (29.5) | 66 (30.6) | 110 (28.9) | 0.71 |
| Ex/current smoker | 358 (60.1) | 130 (60.2) | 228 (60.0) | 0.97 |
| Having post-school qualification | 364 (61.1) | 130 (60.2) | 234 (61.6) | 0.79 |
⁎
The data were analysed for statistical significance using chi-squared test except for age. Age was analysed by Student's t-test.
†
The lowest income category was ‘all income from the aged pension only’; the middle was income received from the ‘age pension plus other income’; and the highest category was ‘income from any possible combinations of superannuation, private income, own business/farm/partnership, wage or salary income, repatriation or veteran's pension, or other income’.