title: Gender-stratified models to examine the relationship between financial hardship and self-reported oral health for older US men and women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the relationship between financial hardship and self-reported oral health for older men and women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We focused on adults in the 2008 Health and Retirement Study (n = 1,359). The predictor variables were 4 financial hardship indicators. We used Poisson regression models to estimate the prevalence ratio of poor self-reported oral health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the non-gender-stratified model, number of financial hardships was not significantly associated with self-reported oral health. Food insecurity was associated with a 12% greater prevalence of poor self-reported oral health (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04, 1.21). In the gender-stratified models, women with 3 or more financial hardships had a 24% greater prevalence of poor self-reported oral health than women with zero (95% CI = 1.09, 1.40). Number of hardships was not associated with self-reported oral health for men. For men, skipping medications was associated with 50% lower prevalence of poor self-reported oral health (95% CI = 0.32, 0.76).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Number of financial hardships was differentially associated with self-reported oral health for older men and women. Most financial hardship indicators affected both genders similarly. Future interventions to improve vulnerable older adults' oral health should account for gender-based heterogeneity in financial hardship experiences.
authors: University of Washington, School of Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Box 357475, Seattle, WA 98195-7475, USA. dchi@uw.edu
authors: Donald L
authors: DL
authors: Chi
authors: Reginald
authors: R
authors: Tucker-Seeley
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012179:Retirement; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012923:Social Class; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014481:United States