title: Significant unmet oral health needs of homebound elderly adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the oral health status, use of dental care, and dental needs of homebound elderly adults and to determine whether medical diagnoses or demographic factors influenced perceived oral health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants' homes in New York City.
  
  
  METHODS
  Homebound elderly adults (N = 125).
  
  
  METHODS
  A trained dental research team conducted a comprehensive clinical examination in participants' homes and completed a dental use and needs survey and the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants who reported a high level of unmet oral health needs were more likely to be nonwhite, although this effect was not significant in multivariate analysis. Individual medical diagnoses and the presence of multiple comorbidities were not associated with unmet oral health needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oral health status of homebound elderly adults was poor regardless of their medical diagnoses. High unmet oral health needs combined with strong desire to receive dental care suggests there is a need to improve access to dental care for this growing population. In addition to improving awareness of geriatricians and primary care providers who care for homebound individuals, the medical community must partner with the dental community to develop home-based programs for older adults.
authors.affiliation: Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ornstein
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: DeCherrie
authors.forename: Rima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gluzman
authors.forename: Elizabeth S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Jyoti
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kansal
authors.forename: Tushin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Theresa A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Soriano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D018577:Homebound Persons; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006278:Medicare; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D009909:Oral Health; D014481:United States
keywords: dental; home-based primary care; homebound; oral health