ABSTRACT Objectives To determine the prevalence of edentulism and its rehabilitation in China's older population and describe socio‐demographic differences in edentulism and rehabilitation. Methods Secondary analyses of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Bivariate and regression analyses were performed. Results The weighted prevalence of edentulism was 26.0% (95% CI 24.8–27.2). Approximately two‐thirds of edentulous elders had been rehabilitated (63.6%, 95% CI 57.4–69.4). In regression analyses, older people had a higher prevalence ratio (PR) for edentulism than younger elders: PR 3.0 (95% CI 2.7–3.4) for those aged 80 and older and PR 1.9 (95% CI 1.7–2.1) for those aged 70–79, with reference to those aged 60–69. Those who had attained secondary education had a lower PR for edentulism than those with no formal education: PR 0.7 (95% CI 0.6–0.8). Those from Non‐Agricultural Hukou (Urban area) had a lower PR than those from Agricultural Hukou (Rural area): PR 0.8 (95% CI 0.7, 1.0). Older adults aged 80 and above were less likely to receive denture rehabilitation compared to those aged 60–69, with a PR of 0.6 (95% CI: 0.5–0.9). In contrast, individuals with secondary education showed a greater likelihood of denture rehabilitation than those without formal education, with a PR of 1.3 (95% CI: 1.0–1.6). Additionally, non‐Han ethnic groups had a slightly higher chance of denture rehabilitation compared to their Han counterparts, with a PR of 1.2 (95% CI: 1.0–1.5). Conclusions Approximately one in four older people in China are edentulous, and approximately two in three of them have been rehabilitated. Socio‐demographic differences in edentulism rates and rates of rehabilitation are apparent. These findings reveal disparities in edentulism and denture rehabilitation among China's older adults (60+), urging targeted policies to enhance access for less‐educated and rural elders while offering insights for global ageing populations.
Zhou et al. (Fri,) studied this question.