IADR Abstract Archives

Smokeless Tobacco Use and Oral Health in Rural Appalachia

OBJECTIVES: The Center for Oral Health Research in Appalachia (COHRA) studies risk factors and oral health in Appalachia. West Virginia (WV) has low dental attendance and high oral disease, edentulism, and tobacco use. This study describes daily smokeless tobacco (ST) users and oral health in WV COHRA families. ST users have high oral disease and oral cancer risk; understanding characteristics and oral health can improve dental intervention.

METHODS: Families from two rural WV COHRA counties were recruited for dental evaluations at clinics and surveyed with demographic, health behavior, and oral health questions, including tobacco. Descriptive analyses included 1,031 respondents and examined demographics, ST use, and oral health among daily ST users. Chi-square analyses tested for significant demographic differences among daily ST users.

RESULTS: 10.6% were daily ST users and among them (N=109): mean age=30.3 years; 73.4% were male; 99.1% were White; 60.2% had minimum high school education; and 27.5% were daily cigarette smokers. Chi-square tests showed daily ST users more likely to be male (p=0.000). One-fourth of daily ST users described tooth condition as poor, 34.9% reported fair; but, a majority were receptive to dental treatment: removing/filling painful back teeth (98.0%); gum infection (72.4%); and root canal infection (56.8%). While only 25.2% reported their last dental visit within 6 months, a majority reported low (not at all/a little) anxiety or fear in teeth cleaning (81.1%) and dental work (74.5%).

CONCLUSIONS: Daily ST use is high among White males in this WV COHRA sample, and while a majority have not visited a dentist within 6 months and indicate fair or poor tooth condition, receptivity to dental treatment and low levels of fear or anxiety were reported. Results suggest need for improved access and outreach among dental practices in rural Appalachia to engage high-risk patients in regular dental evaluation and treatment.

Funding:NIH/NIDCR-R01-DE014899


IADR/AADR/CADR General Session
2009 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session (Miami, Florida)
Miami, Florida
2009
14
Behavioral, Epidemiologic, and Health Services Research
  • Tworek, Cindy  ( West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA )
  • Crout, Richard J.  ( West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA )
  • Mcneil, Daniel W.  ( West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA )
  • Weyant, Robert J.  ( University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA )
  • Marazita, Mary L.  ( University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA )
    • Oral Session
    Risk and Risk Reduction
    04/01/2009