title: "Does this Look Infected to You?" Social Network Predictors of Dental Help-Seeking Among Mexican Immigrants.
abstract: Compared to U.S. born Latinos, Mexican immigrants (MAs) have diminished health care access and face substantial barriers to accessing needed dental health services. However, little research has examined how MAs social networks shape their use of dental health services. Using data from 332 Mexican immigrants to the Midwest, this research examines the significance of individual and egocentric network characteristics on two measures of dental health service utilization. Findings reveal that network size, network dental service utilization, and the frequency with which MAs discuss acute problems with network ties, positively correspond to use of oral health services. Conversely, embeddedness in networks where ties hassle egos about dental issues and have low levels of dental health knowledge correspond to lower odds of using these services. This research is among the first to use ego network data and methods to examine the ways network characteristics shape oral health behaviors among this underserved population.
authors.affiliation: Indiana University Network Science Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1001 E State 45/46 Bypass, Bloomington, IN, 47,408, USA. elpullen@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0152-8902
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pullen
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology/Indiana University Network Science Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, 1020 E Kirkwood Avenue, Balantine Hall 767, Bloomington, IN, 47,408, USA.
authors.forename: Brea L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry / Indiana University Network Science Institute, Indiana University / Purdue University at Indianapolis, 415 Lansing St., Indianapolis, IN, 46,077, USA.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maupome
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003753:Dental Health Surveys; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health / Q000208:ethnology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Emigrants and Immigrants; Health care utilization; Mexican Americans; Oral Health; Social networks