Patterns and factors associated with dental service utilization among insured people: a data mining approach.

BACKGROUND: Insurance databases contain valuable information related to the use of dental services. This data is instrumental in decision-making processes, enhancing risk assessment, and predicting outcomes. The objective of this study was to identify patterns and factors influencing the utilization of dental services among complementary insured individuals, employing a data mining methodology. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was conducted using a dental insurance dataset from Iran in 2022. The Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) was employed as a data mining approach for knowledge extraction from the database. The utilization of dental services was the outcome of interest, and independent variables were chosen based on the available information in the insurance dataset. Dental services were categorized into nine groups: diagnostic, preventive, periodontal, restorative, endodontic, prosthetic, implant, extraction/surgical, and orthodontic procedures. The independent variables included age, gender, family size, insurance history, franchise, insurance limit, and policyholder. A multinomial logistic regression model was utilized to investigate the factors associated with dental care utilization. All analyses were conducted using RapidMiner Version 2020. RESULTS: The analysis encompassed a total of 654,418 records, corresponding to 118,268 insured individuals. Predominantly, restorative treatments were the most utilized services, accounting for approximately 38% of all services, followed by diagnostic (18.35%) and endodontic (13.3%) care. Individuals aged between 36 and 60 years had the highest rate of utilization for any dental services. Additionally, families comprising three to four members, individuals with a one-year insurance history, people contracted with a 20% franchise, individuals with a high insurance limit, and insured individuals with a small policyholder, exhibited the highest rate of service usage compared to their counterparts. The regression model revealed that all independent variables were significantly associated with the use of dental services. However, the patterns of association varied among different service categories. CONCLUSIONS: Restorative treatments emerged as the most frequently used dental services among insured individuals, followed by diagnostic and endodontic procedures. The pattern of service utilization was influenced by the characteristics of the insured individuals and attributes related to their insurance.

Exploring the Challenges in Covering Dental Services through Complementary Insurance in Iran: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Financial protection is crucial for attaining universal health coverage. The inclusion of costly dental services in insurance plans poses a significant challenge for all parties involved in the insurance sector. This study aimed to investigate the challenges of covering dental services by complementary insurance in Iran during 2020-2021. Materials and Methods: This qualitative research was conducted in Iran during 2020-2021. A triangulation of methods and data sources were employed to achieve a comprehensive perspective. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted on an individual basis, and all national documents, rules, regulations, and instructions pertaining to complementary dental insurance were thoroughly reviewed. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants from all stakeholder groups engaged in dental insurance coverage, including (1) health system policymakers, (2) insurers, (3) policyholders, (4) care providers (dentists), and (5) insured people. Six open-ended questions were formulated to explore various facets of dental insurance, including (1) development, (2) management, (3) population coverage, (4) premium calculation, (5) services coverage, and (6) payment and reimbursement mechanisms. With the consent of the participants, all interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The gathered data were evaluated using a framework analysis approach in the MAXQDA20 software. Finally, the primary themes, each encompassing multiple subthemes, were identified and presented. Results: A total of 26 interviews were conducted with five groups of interviewees, and nine national documents were evaluated. Six themes were extracted, which included 18 codes from the interviews and seven codes from the documents. The extracted themes were as follows: (1) Insurance commitments and service coverage, (2) reimbursement system, (3) information system, (4) economic issues, (5) population coverage, and (6) regulation and supervision. The high cost of dental services was the most frequent challenge, followed by the insurance commitments and service coverage. Conclusions: The delivery of dental services through complementary insurance in Iran primarily faces economic and service coverage challenges. The resolution hinges on the collaboration between basic and complementary insurance sectors, the development of a unified information system for insured individuals, and the implementation of a risk-adjusted premium plan.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of Iranian adults toward Persian Medicine: a national survey.

BACKGROUND: Previous researches conducted in both developed and developing countries have demonstrated a rising trend in the utilization of complementary and alternative medicine. The World Health Organization has underscored the importance of studying the prevalence and determinants of such alternative practices. This study delves into the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Iranian adults towards Persian medicine, a distinct form of complementary and alternative medicine, through a national survey for the first time. METHODS: A total of 2882 Iranian adults (aged ≥ 15 years) were randomly chosen from all regions. Data were gathered through structured door-to-door interviews using a survey questionnaire, wherein cases were selected randomly based on postal codes, and interviewers completed the forms at the participants' residences. RESULTS: Approximately 46% of the subjects exhibited familiarity with Persian Medicine. The study revealed that the primary sources of knowledge about Persian Medicine were family, relatives, and friends, with only 2.9% indicating medical staff as their source of information. Furthermore, the study indicated that 21% of participants expressed a strong interest in using Persian Medicine, while 30.3% did not. When comparing Persian medicine to modern medicine, respondents indicated that Persian medicine is more cost-effective and has fewer side effects, yet modern medicine is more widely used globally; although, the majority responded "I don't know" to other questions. The results also demonstrated that approximately 37% of the participants had a history of Persian Medicine utilization in their lifetime. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that Iranian adults have low reliable knowledge (from medical staff, Persian medicine books and other publications) and limited familiarity with Persian medicine, with about one third of the participants expressing disinterest (attitude) and over half of them having not utilized this form of medicine (practice).