IADR Abstract Archives

Barriers and Facilitators for Dental Healthcare Use in the United States

Objectives: One of the United States (US) oral health 2020 goals is to increase the proportion of adults who used the oral health care system in the past year. Therefore, we aimed to understand current national-estimates on the annual dental healthcare service (DHS) and factors associated with no DHS use among US adults to inform policy-maker regarding current barrier and facilitator for DHS use.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a nationally representative data- the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for the year 2015. Study Cohort consisted of 23,417 non-institutionalized adults (weightedN: 235 million) aged 20 years or older alive during the calendar year. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with no DSU. Independent variables selection was guided by the Anderson Healthcare Service Use and Behavior model.
Results: A total 7,869 (weighted = 94.5 million,40.2%) US adults had at least one DHS use in the past year. Visits to general dentist (38%)/hygienist (22.3%), and for general examination (35%), cleaning, prophylaxis or polishing services (33.1%) were frequently utilized DHS. In adjusted models, having no insurance coverage (adjusted odds ratios, aOR: 3.11), less than high school education (aOR:1.98), very poor/near poor/middle income (aORs:1.90/1.85/1.65), younger adults aged 20-40 years (aOR: 1.82), African-American (aOR: 1.78), current smoker (aOR:1.65), widows (aOR: 1.42), fair/poor physical health status (aOR: 1.39), residing in south (aOR: 1.39), male (aOR: 1.35), and obese (aOR: 1.22) were the key factors associated with no DHS use.
Conclusions: Only 4 in 10 US adults annually utilized DHS. Findings suggest the need of multifactorial intervention to increase access and use of DHS among US adults. Future initiative should be conducted to improve access to dental healthcare services through insurance, and tailoring service should be provided to individuals with lower socio-economic status, or poor life-style factors (current smokers) to increase DHS use.
IADR/AADR/CADR General Session
2020 IADR/AADR/CADR General Session (Washington, D.C., USA)
Washington, D.C., USA
2020
0057
Behavioral, Epidemiologic and Health Services Research
  • Raval, Nilixa  ( K M Shah Dental College , Woodbridge , New Jersey , United States )
  • Raval, Amit  ( SKHORG , Woodbridge , New Jersey , United States )
  • NONE
    Oral Session
    Dental Access & Use of Dental Services