es.euronews.com
EU Oral Health Disparities: Access and Affordability
In 2024, over 6% of EU citizens over 16 reported unmet dental care needs, with significant variations across countries and socioeconomic groups, primarily due to cost, long waiting times, and distance to dental clinics.
- How do unmet dental care needs vary across different socioeconomic groups within the EU?
- The percentage of people at risk of poverty reporting unmet dental needs in 2024 was substantially higher (13.7%) than those outside this threshold (5.1%). The largest disparities were observed in Romania (30.9 percentage points) and Greece (30.1%), highlighting the strong correlation between socioeconomic status and access to dental care.
- What are the most significant factors contributing to unmet dental care needs in the EU?
- Cost is the main barrier in 23 of 27 EU countries, with at least three-quarters of the population in Spain and Italy citing cost as the primary obstacle. In contrast, long waiting lists were the most significant factor in Finland and Slovenia, while both cost and waiting lists were equally cited in the Czech Republic.
- What are the potential long-term consequences of these unmet dental care needs in the EU?
- Persistent unmet dental needs can lead to worsening oral health, potentially resulting in increased healthcare costs in the long run due to more complex and expensive treatments later on. The significant disparities observed also raise concerns about health equity within the EU.
Cognitive Concepts
Bias by Omission
While the article highlights economic limitations, waiting times, and distance as barriers, it could benefit from exploring other potential contributing factors such as geographical distribution of dentists, differences in national healthcare systems, and public awareness campaigns related to dental hygiene. However, given the focus on Eurostat data, these omissions might be due to scope rather than intentional bias.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article directly addresses SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by highlighting significant disparities in access to dental care within the EU. The data reveals that millions lack access due to cost, wait times, and distance. This directly impacts the target 3.8, which aims to achieve universal health coverage, including oral health. The large discrepancies between wealthier and poorer populations further underscore inequalities in health access, hindering progress towards SDG 3.