Determinants of dental care utilization for diverse ethnic and age groups.
Dental services utilization in the past 12 months was compared across population-based samples of African-American, Navajo, Lakota, Hispanic, and White adults participating in the WHO International Collaborative Study of Oral Health Outcomes (ICS-II) at USA research locations. Bivariate results revealed that ethnic minority groups in both age cohorts reported significantly fewer dental visits in the past 12 months compared with White adults. When dentate status was controlled for, age cohort differences were not significant in Baltimore (African-American and White) and San Antonio (Hispanic and White) research locations. In contrast, older Native Americans (65-74 years) reported visiting the dentist significantly less often compared with their middle-aged (35-44 years) counterparts. Multivariate results indicated that generalizable variables were associated with dental contact in every ICS-II USA ethnic group (i.e., dentate, usual source of dental care, oral pain). Among the diverse ethnic groups, other determinants presented a varied pattern of risk factors for underutilizing dental care. Information on ethnic-specific risk factors can be used to design culturally appropriate and acceptable oral health promotion programs. Generalizable risk factors across ethnic groups inform oral health policy-makers about changing national priorities for promoting oral health.
Davidson
P L
PL
Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA.
Andersen
R M
RM
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D015142:Baltimore; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States; D016549:United States Indian Health Service