Disparities in dental service utilization among Alabama Medicaid children.
OBJECTIVE
Access to oral health care and utilization of available services are important factors in minimizing the oral health disparities among underserved minorities. Our objective was to evaluate the racial and other factors related to 'realized access' to oral health care among Alabama Medicaid children.


METHODS
Data were obtained from 308 538 Alabama Medicaid claims submitted in 1995-96 and analyzed using regression analyses.


RESULTS
A lower proportion of Blacks (24%) and other racial groups (22%) compared to Whites (31%) and a lower proportion of 15-19-year-olds (15%) compared to younger age groups (30%) obtained dental services (P < 0.05). Odds of males obtaining care were slightly lower compared to females (OR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.94-0.99). However, there was a significant interaction of race with other factors in determining service utilization. Subjects who were continuously eligible for Medicaid throughout the fiscal year were more likely to obtain care (OR = 2.86; 95% CI = 2.78-2.93). About one-fourth of the visits had an emergency procedure included in the treatment rendered. Availability of a participating dentist within the county of residence and the lower reimbursement-to-charge ratio were among the other related factors for underutilization of services.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a significant racial disparity in utilization of dental services even among the Medicaid-eligible children. However, this was not a simple function of race, but a complex interaction of race with other factors such as age, gender, and location.


BACKGROUND
Supported by CDC grant #U48/CCU 409679.
Dasanayake
Ananda P
AP
Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. anandauab@aol.com
Li
Yufeng
Y
Wadhawan
Sangeetha
S
Kirk
Katharine
K
Bronstein
Janet
J
Childers
Noel K
NK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000407:Alabama; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data