Oral–Systemic Health Awareness Among Physicians and Dentists in Croatian Primary Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design and Data Collection
2.2. The Survey
2.3. Data Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristic | Total N = 529 | DMD N = 238 | MD N = 291 | p-Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender | Man | 99 (18.7) | 48 (20.2) | 51 (17.5) | 0.253 |
Woman | 430 (81.1) | 190 (79.8) | 240 (82.5) | ||
Age | ≤30 | 158 (29.8) | 74 (31.1) | 84 (28.9) | 0.018 * |
31–40 | 142 (26.8) | 76 (31.9) | 66 (22.7) | ||
41–50 | 115 (21.7) | 49 (20.6) | 66 (22.7) | ||
≥51 | 114 (21.6) | 39 (16.4) | 75 (25.8) | ||
Education | MD/DMD | 486 (91.9) | 216 (90.8) | 270 (92.8) | 0.245 |
MSc/PhD | 43 (8.1) | 22 (9.2) | 21 (7.2) | ||
Professional experience | ≤5 | 176 (33.3) | 83 (34.9) | 93 (32.0) | 0.032 |
6–10 | 79 (14.9) | 46 (19.3) | 33 (11.3) | ||
11–20 | 138 (26.1) | 59 (24.8) | 79 (27.1) | ||
≥20 | 136 (25.7) | 50 (21.0) | 86 (29.6) | ||
Workplace setting | Private office | 51 (9.6) | 63 (26.5) | 41 (14.1) | ≤0.001 * |
Health center | 478 (90.4) | 175 (73.5) | 250 (85.9) |
Question | Total N = 529 | DMD N = 238 | MD N = 291 | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Endocarditis (“Yes”) | 369 (69.8) | 183 (76.9) | 186 (63.9) | ≤0.001 * |
Diabetes mellitus (“Yes”) | 437 (82.6) | 217 (91.2) | 220 (75.6) | ≤0.001 * |
Obesity (“Yes”) | 238 (45.0) | 99 (41.6) | 139 (47.8) | 0.161 |
Metabolic syndrome (“Yes”) | 325 (61.3) | 144 (60.5) | 181 (62.2) | 0.720 |
Atherosclerosis (“Yes”) | 193 (36.5) | 91 (38.2) | 102 (35.1) | 0.469 |
Chronic kidney disease (“Yes”) | 201 (38.0) | 86 (36.1) | 115 (39.5) | 0.471 |
Recurrent pneumonia (“Yes”) | 137 (25.9) | 45 (18.9) | 92 (31.6) | ≤0.001 * |
COPB (“Yes”) | 160 (30.2) | 63 (26.5) | 97 (33.3) | 0.106 |
Chronic gastritis/peptic ulcer (“Yes”) | 361 (68.2) | 136 (57.1) | 225 (77.3) | ≤0.001 * |
Rheumatoid arthritis (“Yes”) | 244 (46.1) | 94 (39.5) | 150 (51.5) | 0.007 * |
Head and neck tumors (“Yes”) | 226 (42.7) | 85 (35.7) | 141 (48.5) | 0.004 * |
Adverse pregnancy outcomes (“Yes”) | 202 (38.2) | 140 (58.8) | 62 (21.3) | ≤0.001 * |
Cognitive deficit and dementia (“Yes”) | 163 (30.8) | 82 (34.5) | 81 (27.8) | 0.108 |
Alzheimer’s disease (“Yes”) | 170 (32.1) | 86 (36.1) | 84 (28.9) | 0.076 |
Osteoporosis (“Yes”) | 223 (42.2) | 125 (52.5) | 98 (33.7) | ≤0.001 * |
Question | Total N = 529 | DMD N = 238 | MD N = 291 | p-Value |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sjögren’s syndrome (“Yes”) | 498 (94.1) | 223 (93.7) | 275 (94.5) | 0.713 |
Systemic lupus erythematosus (“Yes”) | 452 (85.4) | 202 (84.9) | 250 (85.9) | 0.804 |
Systemic sclerosis (“Yes”) | 411 (77.2) | 163 (68.5) | 248 (85.2) | ≤0.001 * |
Lichen planus (“Yes”) | 400 (75.6) | 218 (91.6) | 182 (62.5) | ≤0.001 * |
Bullous diseases (“Yes”) | 318 (60.1) | 186 (78.2) | 132 (45.4) | ≤0.001 * |
Ulcerative colitis/Crohn’s disease (“Yes”) | 401 (75.8) | 171 (71.8) | 230 (79.0) | 0.066 |
Celiac disease (“Yes”) | 309 (58.4) | 125 (52.5) | 184 (63.2) | 0.013 * |
Anemia (“Yes”) | 456 (86.2) | 198 (83.2) | 258 (88.7) | 0.077 |
Thrombocytopenia (“Yes”) | 383 (72.4) | 180 (75.6) | 203 (69.8) | 0.143 |
Diabetes mellitus (“Yes”) | 433 (81.9) | 218 (91.6) | 215 (73.9) | ≤0.001 * |
Addison’s disease (“Yes”) | 185 (35.0) | 96 (40.3) | 89 (30.6) | 0.022 * |
Multiple sclerosis (“Yes”) | 143 (27.0) | 64 (26.9) | 79 (27.1) | 1.000 |
Alzheimer’s disease (“Yes”) | 149 (28.2) | 64 (26.9) | 85 (29.2) | 0.562 |
Parkinson’s disease (“Yes”) | 138 (26.1) | 67 (28.2) | 71 (24.4) | 0.371 |
Leukemia (“Yes”) | 372 (70.3) | 172 (72.3) | 200 (68.7) | 0.391 |
Multiple myeloma (“Yes”) | 277 (52.4) | 123 (51.7) | 154 (52.9) | 0.793 |
Characteristic | Total N = 529 | DMD N = 238 | MD N = 291 | p-Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Acquired knowledge during studies | Yes | 293 (55.4) | 211 (88.7) | 82 (28.2) | ≤0.001 * |
Interest in further education | Yes | 478 (90.4) | 220 (92.4) | 258 (88.7) | 0.182 |
Considering the relationship between oral and general health | Yes | 527 (99.6) | 237 (99.6) | 290 (99.7) | 1.000 |
Considering the examination of the oral mucosa as an integral part of the physical examination | Yes | 472 (89.2) | 237 (99.6) | 235 (80.8) | ≤0.001* |
Practicing oral mucosa examination | Yes | 338 (63.9) | 213 (89.5) | 125 (43.0) | ≤0.001 * |
Treatment of oral mucosa lesions | Independently | 107 (20.2) | 30 (12.6) | 77 (26.5) | ≤0.001 * |
Specialist referral | 422 (79.6) | 208 (87.4) | 214 (73.5) | ||
Referral of a patient with oral lesions to a specialist (multiple answers possible) | Independently | 109 (20.6) | 46 (19.3) | 63 (21.6) | 0.519 |
MD | 29 (5.5) | 17 (7.1) | 12 (4.1) | 0.178 | |
DMD | 223 (42.2) | 9 (3.8) | 214 (73.5) | ≤0.001 * | |
Dermatologist | 36 (6.8) | 17 (7.1) | 19 (6.5) | 0.863 | |
Maxillofacial surgeon | 190 (35.9) | 61 (25.6) | 129 (44.3) | ≤0.001 * | |
Oral surgeon | 220 (41.6) | 101 (42.4) | 119 (40.9) | 0.724 | |
Oral medicine specialist | 341 (64.5) | 227 (95.4) | 114 (39.2) | ≤0.001 * | |
Periodontologist | 165 (31.2) | 110 (46.2) | 55 (18.9) | ≤0.001 * | |
Other specialists | 70 (13.2) | 20 (8.4) | 55 (18.9) | 0.003 * | |
Reasons for not treating patients (multiple responses possible) | Insufficient financial compensation | 13 (2.5) | 8 (3.4) | 5 (1.7) | 0.266 |
Insufficient experience or knowledge | 279 (52.7) | 110 (46.2) | 169 (58.1) | 0.007 * | |
Lack of confidence | 185 (35.0) | 43 (18.1) | 142 (48.8) | ≤0.001 * | |
Lack of time | 95 (18.0) | 41 (17.2) | 54 (18.6) | 0.733 | |
Other | 182 (34.4) | 116 (48.7) | 66 (22.7) | ≤0.001 * |
Characteristic | Total N = 529 | DMD N = 238 | MD N = 291 | p-Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Self-assessed knowledge of oral diseases | Limited | 72 (13.6) | 20 (8.4) | 51 (17.9) | ≤0.001 * |
Basic | 245 (46.3) | 87 (36.6) | 158 (54.3) | ||
Adequate | 212 (40.1) | 131 (55.0) | 81 (27.8) | ||
Frequency of patient visits with oral diseases | Rarely | 142 (24.0) | 64 (26.9) | 78 (26.8) | 0.496 |
Sometimes | 274 (51.8) | 122 (51.3) | 152 (52.2) | ||
Often | 113 (21.4) | 52 (21.8) | 61 (20.9) | ||
Confidence in diagnosing patients with oral diseases | Unconfident | 80 (15.1) | 17 (7.1) | 63 (21.6) | ≤0.001 * |
Neutral | 168 (31.8) | 71 (29.8) | 97 (33.3) | ||
Confident | 281 (53.1) | 150 (63.0) | 131 (45.0) | ||
Confidence in treating patients with oral diseases | Unconfident | 98 (18.5) | 33 (13.9) | 65 (38.8) | ≤0.001 * |
Neutral | 200 (37.8) | 80 (33.6) | 130 (44.7) | ||
Confident | 231 (43.7) | 125 (52.5) | 48 (16.5) | ||
Self-assessed knowledge of oral manifestations of systemic diseases | Limited | 117 (22.1) | 46 (19.3) | 71 (24.4) | ≤0.001 * |
Basic | 275 (52.0) | 105 (44.1) | 170 (58.4) | ||
Adequate | 137 (25.9) | 87 (36.5) | 50 (17.1) | ||
Frequency of patient visits with oral manifestations of systemic diseases | Rarely | 182 (34.4) | 72 (30.3) | 110 (37.8) | ≤0.001 * |
Sometimes | 265 (50.1) | 116 (48.7) | 149 (51.2) | ||
Often | 82 (15.5) | 50 (21.0) | 32 (11.0) | ||
Confidence in diagnosing patients with oral manifestations of systemic diseases | Unconfident | 164 (31.0) | 54 (22.7) | 110 (37.8) | ≤0.001 * |
Neutral | 225 (42.5) | 101 (42.4) | 124 (42.6) | ||
Confident | 140 (26.5) | 83 (34.9) | 57 (19.6) | ||
Confidence in treating patients with oral manifestations of systemic diseases | Unconfident | 179 (33.8) | 66 (27.7) | 113 (38.8) | ≤0.001 * |
Neutral | 237 (44.8) | 107 (45.0) | 130 (44.7) | ||
Confident | 113 (21.3) | 65 (27.3) | 48 (16.5) | ||
Self-assessed knowledge of periodontal diseases | Limited | 127 (24.0) | 4 (1.7) | 123 (42.3) | ≤0.001 * |
Basic | 169 (31.9) | 31 (13.0) | 138 (47.4) | ||
Adequate | 233 (44.1) | 203 (85.3) | 30 (10.3) | ||
Frequency of patient visits with periodontal diseases | Rarely | 122 (23.1) | 1 (0.4) | 121 (41.6) | ≤0.001 * |
Sometimes | 123 (23.3) | 19 (8.0) | 104 (35.7) | ||
Often | 284 (53.7) | 218 (91.6) | 66 (22.6) | ||
Confidence in diagnosing patients with periodontal diseases | Unconfident | 112 (21.2) | 2 (0.8) | 110 (37.8) | ≤0.001 * |
Neutral | 110 (20.8) | 8 (3.4) | 102 (35.1) | ||
Confident | 307 (58.0) | 228 (95.8) | 78 (27.1) | ||
Confidence in treating patients with periodontal diseases | Unconfident | 154 (29.1) | 5 (2.1) | 149 (51.2) | ≤0.001 * |
Neutral | 125 (23.6) | 17 (7.1) | 108 (37.1) | ||
Confident | 250 (47.3) | 216 (90.8) | 34 (11.7) |
Characteristic | Periodontitis and Systemic Diseases β (95% CI) | p-Value | Oral Manifestations β (95% CI) | p-Value | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender | Man | Reference | Reference | ||
Woman | 0.038 (−0.763–0.839) | 0.925 | −0.048 (−0.890–0.794) | 0.911 | |
Age | ≤30 | Reference | Reference | ||
31–40 | −0.366 (−2.048–1.316) | 0.670 | −0.041 (−1.809–1.728) | 0.964 | |
41–50 | −0.796 (−2.737–1.146) | 0.422 | −0.382 (−2.423–1.660) | 0.714 | |
≥51 | −0.744 (−2.995–1.508) | 0.517 | −0.516 (−2.883–1.851) | 0.669 | |
Education | MD/DMD | Reference | Reference | ||
MSc/PhD | 0.236 (−0.937–1.409) | 0.694 | −1.027 (−2.260–0.207) | 0.103 | |
Profession | DMD | Reference | Reference | ||
MD | −0.318 (−0.959–0.322) | 0.330 | −0.520 (−1.193–0.153) | 0.130 | |
Professional experience | ≤5 | Reference | Reference | ||
6–10 | 1.065 (−0.694–2.825) | 0.235 | −0.623 (−2.473–1.227) | 0.509 | |
11–20 | 0.645 (−1.149–2.439) | 0.481 | −0.414 (−2.300–1.473) | 0.667 | |
≥20 | 1.393 (−0.766–3.553) | 0.206 | −0.076 (−2.346–2.195) | 0.948 | |
Workplace setting | Private practice | Reference | Reference | ||
Health center | 0.513 (−0.321–1.346) | 0.228 | −0.383 (−1.260–0.493) | 0.391 |
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Badrov, M.; Miskovic, M.; Glavina, A.; Tadin, A. Oral–Systemic Health Awareness Among Physicians and Dentists in Croatian Primary Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study. Epidemiologia 2025, 6, 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia6030043
Badrov M, Miskovic M, Glavina A, Tadin A. Oral–Systemic Health Awareness Among Physicians and Dentists in Croatian Primary Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study. Epidemiologia. 2025; 6(3):43. https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia6030043
Chicago/Turabian StyleBadrov, Marija, Martin Miskovic, Ana Glavina, and Antonija Tadin. 2025. "Oral–Systemic Health Awareness Among Physicians and Dentists in Croatian Primary Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study" Epidemiologia 6, no. 3: 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia6030043
APA StyleBadrov, M., Miskovic, M., Glavina, A., & Tadin, A. (2025). Oral–Systemic Health Awareness Among Physicians and Dentists in Croatian Primary Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study. Epidemiologia, 6(3), 43. https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia6030043