Dental and Other Healthcare Visits among Adults with Diagnosed Diabetes

Objectives: The prevalence and incidence of co-morbid eye, foot, and periodontal problems is higher among adults with diabetes than among adults without diabetes. This study provides prevalence values for eye, foot, and dental healthcare visits, and also examines whether adults with diabetes are more likely than their peers without diabetes to have had a dental visit in the preceding 12 months, controlling for relevant covariates. Methods: We analyzed “Sample Adult” questionnaire data from the 2003 National Health Interview Survey for 27,591 adults aged 25 years or older (n=2,494 with diabetes). Outcome variables were dichotomous measures of eye, foot, and dental healthcare visits during the preceding 12 months. The main independent variable was self-reported diabetes status (excluding gestational diabetes). Covariates included age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty status, and geographic region. Analysis of dental healthcare visits was additionally restricted to those who were dentate. SUDAAN statistical software was used to produce weighted prevalence and multiple logistic regression estimates. Results: Approximately 66%, 71% and 60% of adults with diabetes reported eye, foot, and dental healthcare visits during the preceding year, respectively. Compared with non-poor adults with diabetes, those living below 200% of the federal poverty level experienced a significantly greater disparity for dental visits than for eye or foot care. Controlling for covariates, dentate adults with diabetes were significantly less likely than were dentate adults without diabetes to have reported a dental healthcare visit (adjusted odds ratio=0.7; 95% confidence interval: 0.6-0.8). Conclusions: Although dentate adults with diabetes are more likely to develop periodontitis than their peers without diabetes, they are less likely to visit a dentist. Physicians and other healthcare providers are reminded to encourage their patients with diabetes, particularly the poor and near-poor ones, to visit a dentist on a more regular basis.