Sociodemographic and Structural Factors Associated With Dentist Availability in Indigenous Localities of Peru: An...

To identify sociodemographic and structural factors associated with dentist availability in Indigenous localities of Peru in 2024.

An observational, analytical, ecological cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from the National Health Establishment Registry (HISMINSA) and the Indigenous or Native Peoples Database (BDPI) for 2024. The sample included 1277 officially recognized Indigenous localities in the Andean and Amazonian regions. Dentist availability, defined as the presence of at least one registered dentist in the local health facility, was the dependent variable. Independent variables included demographic factors (population size and proportion of Indigenous language speakers), geographic characteristics (Andean or Amazonian region and department) and structural indicators (household access to water, sewerage and electricity). Logistic regression models, adjusted using a directed acyclic graph (DAG), were applied to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Of 1277 Indigenous localities, 32.0% had at least one dentist and 68.0% had none. In adjusted models, Amazonian localities had significantly lower odds of dentist availability compared with Andean localities (aOR = 0.585; 95% CI: 0.41-0.83). Larger numbers of households and the presence of sewerage were modestly associated with higher availability, while substantial geographical disparities persisted.

Geographic and structural factors were associated with dentist availability in Indigenous localities of Peru, with persistent disadvantages observed in Amazonian regions. These findings highlight territorial inequalities in the distribution of oral health services and support the need for policies aimed at improving access to dental care in underserved Indigenous communities.