PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L A Helöe

Publications and source records attributed to L A Helöe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

A comparative study of costs for dental services and dentists' income in the United States and Norway.

The United States and Norway have approximately the same per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and average personal income, but their per capita health spending patterns are quite different. In 1982, the US spent 6.5% of its total health expenditures on dental services while Norway spent 5.4%. A higher percentage of Norwegian adults see a dentist annually as compared to US adults. In 1984, the mean net income of dentists in private practice was $66,940 in the US and $27,125 in Norway; this is respectively 5 and 1 3/4 times the average per capita income in those countries. The American publicly-employed dentist earned approximately two-thirds of what the American private practitioner made, while still earning approximately 50% more than his Norwegian counterpart. Some basic information concerning the ratios of dentists, specialists, and dental hygienists to the population is given. The relative proportion of women dentists in the two countries is contrasted. Finally, data on graduates from the dental schools, enrollment cuts, and estimated dentist to population ratios by the year 2000 are described to compare future manpower that will be available to the two countries. Several dissimilarities in the political and social systems are described and discussed. It is emphasized that caution should be used when interpreting and comparing data about countries with different dental delivery, political, and social systems.

Dental Health Services↗
PubMed1991

Comparative policies of two national dental associations: Norway and the United States.

The major issues and challenges confronting the dental professions in the United States and Norway were studied through speeches of and interviews with the presidents of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Norwegian Dental Association (NDA) in the period 1980-86. The issues most frequently dealt with related to public authorities, particularly legislation and government involvement in dental practice. Anxiety concerning "busyness," the future dental market, and a drop in the quality of applicants to dental schools were also major subjects. The spokespersons of both associations were engaged in increasing the demand for dental services by marketing, but they were ambivalent regarding advertising, especially individual advertising. Both were concerned with protecting dentistry's autonomy. While the Norwegian presidents apparently feared the medical profession's influence upon dentistry, the Americans were concerned with the hygienists and denturists, and with the insurance companies which they suspected of intruding into the dentist-patient relationship. The presidents' statements, which frequently varied, were apparently influenced by the current domestic political climate, the basic socio-political principles of the two countries, and the different socio-demographic make-up of their memberships.

Humans↗
PubMed1988

Development of dental status and treatment behavior among Norwegian adults 1973-85.

Utilization rates, types of dental services received and reports on number of teeth present were studied through seven sets of cross-sectional data collected in 1973, '77, '79, '81, '83 and '85. Personal interviews performed by trained interviewers were held with nationwide probability samples, each of 1500 persons covering the Norwegian population aged 15 and above. During the 12-yr period, the percentage of the samples reporting to have 20 or more teeth increased from 63 in 1973 to 74 in 1985, while the percentage of edentulous subjects dropped from 16 to 12. The time interval since the last dental visit decreased continuously: in 1973, 58% of the sample reported to have paid a dental visit during the last year, in 1983, 70%. Correspondingly, a higher proportion of the samples stated they were regular treatment attenders (52% in 1973 and 67% in 1985), while the proportion of "irregulars" dropped. Although the regularity of the visits probably was somewhat overreported, the favorable trend was substantiated by the information on services received: extractions, denture services and fillings diminished, while preventive and "other" services gained importance. Possible explanations and implications for dental practice and education are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Welfare policy and planning of oral health services.

The Scandinavian countries are commonly referred to as welfare states, i.e. liberal states which assume responsibility for their citizens through a range of interventions in the market economy. The principles of the welfare policy are: 1) universality of population coverage, 2) comprehensiveness of risks covered, 3) adequacy of benefits and 4) citizens' right to health and social services. The goals are usually expressed in brief slogans like solidarity, universality, equality of opportunity, quality, efficiency and pluralism/"freedom of choice". Our welfare model is thus based upon ideals deriving from both individualistic and collectivistic philosophies, just as Scandinavia's mixed economy is. Similar to other health sectors, dental care is an integral part of the welfare state, striving to attain its manifold goals. Planning of oral health services should therefore be directed toward these goals, considering the shifts in the disease and problem panorama.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1982

Dental health practices in Norwegian adults.

A nationwide sample of 1511 Norwegian adults were interviewed in 1979-80 concerning health habits, including dental habits. While daily toothbrushing and regular treatment attendance appeared to have become the rule among young and middle aged individuals, use of dental floss and especially of fluoride tablets or rinses, still are the exception. Dental health habits were clustered around the variable treatment attendance with slightly different patterns for men and for women. Measures of sugar consumptions were only slightly correlated with background variables and dental health behavior. While the latter was socially dependent, consumption of sugar probably was attached to personal characteristics or situational factors. The correlations between dental health behavior and other health behavior practices were generally weak, and somewhat different for men and women. Two separate types of motives for preventive behavior were distinguished between: health motives and cosmetic motives.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

"The rise and fall" of dental caries: some global aspects of dental caries epidemiology.

The purpose of this paper was to review some global aspects of dental caries epidemiology. Existing data show that caries activity has increased, often rapidly, in developing countries in recent years while marked reductions have occurred in some industrialized countries during the last 10-15 years. Changes in the prevalence of a multifactorial disease like dental caries are difficult to explain but the obvious ones seem to coincide either with increased intake or refined sugar-containing products or with increased use of fluorides. Furthermore it would appear that restorative treatment along has little impact on caries activity when viewed in a life long perspective. Experience, the existing geographic distribution of oral health problems and resources to cope with them suggest an urgent need for co-operation in dental education and research between developing and industrialized countries to develop acceptable cost-effective preventive programs in countries where caries activity is higher or increasing rapidly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Myofascial pain dysfunction (MPD) syndrome in twins.

The Myofascial Pain Dysfunction Syndrome (MPD) was investigated in 94 twin pairs (21 male pairs and 73 female pairs), who had not been selected with respect to MPD. The frequency of past and/or present symptoms was found to be 10% in males and 27% in females. No differences between monozygous (identical) and dizygous (non-identical) female twins was found in pair-wise concordance rates, the concordance rate being higher than expected to occur by chance in both twin types. The findings are compatible with the view that environmental influences give rise to this specific stress-reaction pattern.

Diseases in Twins↗
PubMed1979

Public opinions on dentists in Norway.

Interviews on the dentist-patient relationship were carried out among 1,221 persons representing the dentulous part of the Norwegian population aged 15 and over. Two thirds of the interviewees said that their dentists explained the treatment plan, and of these, every second interviewee received reasons for the treatment. One third said they discussed different treatment alternatives with the dentist. One third of the respondents said that the dentist had urged them to clean their teeth thoroughly and to use fluoride. Inly a minority thought that the dentist had sought to influence their dietary habits. When asked to give priority to alternative characteristics and qualities of dentists, accuracy and professional skills were those ranked the highest. Carefulness, willingness to listen and to discuss dental problems, and finally effective working habits were the qualities ranked thereafter. Out of the sample, 96% thought that their dentist did very good or good work, and 82% wanted to choose their own dentist.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Frequency and distribution of myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome in a population of 25-year-olds.

Interviews on the occurrence of Myofascial Pain-Dysfunction (MPD) Syndrome were held with a group consisting of 246 individuals 25 years of age. Every fifth interviewee said she/he had experienced clicking/crepitation from the TMJs. Five percent had felt pain when opening the mouth wide and 3% while chewing, yawning or talking. These frequencies of symptoms were much like those found in a probability sample of the total adult population in Norway and a probability sample of elderly Norweigians. In the present study, 28% said they had some or much headache recently. These symptoms varied with background characteristics, especially with sex. There was also a relationship between headache and MPD-symptoms. By combining the effect of the variables sex and headache upon the frequency of reported clicking/crepitation, it was tripled.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Clinical quality of amalgam restorations.

The clinical quality of 203 mesio-occlusal Class II and 127 buccal Class V restorations of 246 persons aged 25 years were studied. One third of the amalgam restorations were considered to be unacceptable. Marginal overhang was the prevailing type of failure (17%), recurrent caries occurred at 12% of the restorations, unacceptable proximal contact at 10%, unacceptable marginal adaptation at 8% and isthmus fractures at 2%.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Oral conditions and need for dental treatment in an elderly population in northern Norway.

Oral conditions and dental treatment needs were investigated in a group of persons aged 65--79. A sample comprising 280 persons was drawn systematically to cover all persons in this age category living in the county of Troms in Norway. 241 persons attended, leaving a participation-rate of 86. The participants were examined mainly in their homes by dentists in graduate training. Sixteen percent of the group were in constant need of assistance or care due to a poor general state of health. In all, 80% were edentulous: 72% of the men and 87% of the women. Ninety-two percent wore removable dentures, 5% had natural teeth only, and 14% had natural teeth combined with a denture. Furthermore, 4% had neither teeth nor dentures, while dentures in both jaws were found in 66%. The "objective" treatment needs were extensive and had mainly accumulated due to neglectec care. Forty percent of the total group needed new complete dentures and 20% a more comprehensive correction of their dentures. By contrast only 30% intended to seek treatment in the near future. There seemd to be a definite need for a dental program to overcome or reduce the economic and other situational barriers.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1978

Changes of dental treatment pattern in Norway in the 1970s.

With the aim of gauging utilization rates of dental services, a series of cross-sectional studies were performed in 1973, 1975 adnd 1977. Cluster samples of 1,600 individuals covering the Norwegian population aged 15 and above were interviewed by trained interviewers using standardized questions. The percentage of respondents who reported having seen a dentist within the last 12 months increased from 58 to 64. The receipt of tooth fillings was the predominant course of treatment and was reported by 55% of the interviewees. The percentage reporting preventive services increased from 15 to 26% at the expense of those reporting "blood and vulcanite" denistry. Fifty-two percent, increasing to 53% of the interviewers, claimed to have seen a dentist on a regular basis during the last 5 years. However, this proportion was conceivably overreported. Control questions indicated that 40-45% should be considered regular treatment attenders. Change is apparently taking place in the treatment pattern. The proportion of regular treatment attenders seems to increase by 0.5-1% per year. The treatment profile is also shifting: extractions and denture services are diminishing, preventive services are gaining, while restorative dentistry stands still - for the time being.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

The occurrence of TMJ -disorders in an elderly population as evaluated by recording of "subjective" and "objective" symptoms.

The occurrence of "objective" symptoms of TMJ -disorder, as measured by clinical examination, and self-reported "subjective" symptoms, were investigated in a survey of 241 persons ages 65-79. This group constituted the participants of a sample which was drawn to cover all persons in this age category living in the county of Troms in Norway. The participation rate was 86. Participants were examined and interviewed by dentists in graduate training. Eight per cent of the group reported to have had TMJ pain recently. Fourteen per cent said they had clicking or creptiation. These symptoms were twice as commonly reported by women as by men, and they were also most frequent among people complaining of rheumatism or general joint pain. By the clinical examination, clicking and/or crepitation was found in 27% of the individuals. Limitation of jaw movement was registered in only 3 persons. These "objective" symptoms were evenly common with both sexes. Dental/prosthetic status had seemingly no distinct influence of the findings.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1977

Differences between dental health data obtained by interviews and questionnaires.

Two hundred and eighty-six persons out of a population of 358 were interviewed about dental health. Approximately 9 months later the same group was posed identical questions in a self-administered questionnaire. An open-ended question about reasons for loss of teeth showed nearly 50% more answers on the questionnaire than in the interview. The number of answers in the questionnaire fell with increasing age and decreasing income and/or lower social class, while sex, age, income, and social class seemed to have only a minor effect on the number of answers in the interview. The number of two-reply categories varied between the interview and the questionnaire. To questions about water fluoridation and covering of dental expenses by Social Security, married couples gave more often identical replies on the questionnaire than in the interview. The findings imply that the method itself, i.e. the choice between the interview and questionnaire methods, is of importance for the results as such.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

Relationship between sociomedical factors and TMJ-symptoms in Norwegians with myofascial pain-dysfunction syndrome.

The relationship between background characteristics, stress, reported symptoms and clinical findings was studied in a group comprising 333 patients with Myofascial Pain Dysfunction Syndrome (MPD). Three-quarters of this clientele were women, most of them of young or middle age. The stressors most frequently reported were pressed working conditions, anxiety and frustration deriving from disease, and family problems. Of the symptoms, pain was reported by 78 percent of the patients, clicking by 53 percent, limitation of movement by 44 percent and feeling of stiffness and fatigue of masticatory muscles by 41 percent. Significant correlations were found between a number of variables, of which the close relationship between perceived pressors and muscle groups painful to palpation was considered to be a paramount importance. The data were combined into a hypothetic model postulating causal relations. The model was intended for testing and modification in coming studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Preventive practices in schoolchildren in Oppegard, Norway, related to some background factors.

As part of a clinical trial among schoolchildren in a suburban community just outside Oslo, dental preventive behavior was studied by means of mailed questionnaires. In all, 340 mothers, i.e. 95% of the sample, filled out and returned the forms. The results indicate a distinct and improving preventive attitude in the target population. The age of the family was the most influential background variable.

Adolescent↗