title: Dental care access for low-income and immigrant cancer patients in New York City.
abstract: This exploratory study assesses the dental care needs and access of low-income, mostly immigrant cancer patients enrolled in New York City's Integrated Cancer Care Action Network (ICCAN). A nested cohort of patients from ICCAN responded to a dental needs assessment that surveyed current dental health as well as access to, and use of, dental services. 373 patients participated. Self-report of having a dentist to visit, current dental problems, income, and insurance most significantly predicted a dentist visit in the past year. Discussing treatment-related oral side effects with the oncologist greatly increased the likelihood of seeing a dentist, but few patients reported having had this conversation. There is a lack of oral care information flowing from oncologists to low income patients. We found a high number of reported dental problems: concerning because of potential treatment interference and risk for infection. Finally, ability to pay largely determined dental care access in our study participants.
authors.affiliation: Immigrant Health and Cancer Disparities Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA, jrh2165@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Jocelyn R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Yuelin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gany
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009519:New York City; D011203:Poverty; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult