Oral health of high-cost patients and evaluation of oral health measures as predictors for high-cost patients in South Korea: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the oral health conditions and oral health behaviour of high-cost patients and evaluate oral health measures as predictors of future high-cost patients.

DESIGN

A retrospective, population-based cohort study using administrative healthcare records.

SETTING

The National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) medical check-up database (a.k.a. NHIS-national health screening cohort database) in South Korea.

PARTICIPANTS

131 549 individuals who received biennial health check-ups including dental check-ups in 2011 or 2012, aged 49-88.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Current and subsequent year high-cost patient status.

RESULTS

High-cost patients, on average, incur higher dental costs, suffer more from periodontal disease, brush their teeth less and use secondary oral hygiene products less. Some of the self-reported oral health behaviours and oral symptom variables show statistically significant associations with subsequent year high-cost patient indicators, even after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, medical conditions, and prior healthcare cost and utilisation.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate that oral health measures are associated with an increased risk of becoming a high-cost patient.