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Utilisation of dental services by refugees in Germany: Results of the population-based RESPOND survey
Kayvan Bozorgmehr1,2, Maren Hintermeier1,2, Louise Biddle1,3
1AG 2 Population Medicine and Health Services Research, School of Public Health, Bielefeld University, Germany.
Background:
The utilisation of outpatient dental services is an important indicator for monitoring healthcare provision in Germany. In the general population, the 12-month prevalence of dental service utilization is 82.2 %. For refugees, this indicator has hardly been measured, although studies suggest an objectively high need for dental care.
Methodology:
As part of the population-based cross-sectional RESPOND study (2018), self-reported health and healthcare, including the use of dental services, was assessed in three representative, random samples of refugees residing in reception and shared accommodation centres in Baden-Württemberg and Berlin.
Results:
The indicator was available for 68.8 % (594) of the 863 surveyed refugees. Overall, 38.2 % of the respondents stated that they had utilised dental services in the previous 12 months, whereas 41.4 % had never used any dental care in Germany.
Conclusions:
The utilisation of dental services among refugees is very low compared to the level of utilisation in the general population. It reflects a discrepancy between access and needs.
