Factors associated with future dental care utilization among low-income smokers overdue for dental visits

作者：Paula Rae Blasi, Chloe A. Krakauer, Melissa L. Anderson, Jennifer Clark Nelson, Terry M. Bush, Sheryl L. Catz, Jennifer B. McClure · 发表于：BMC Oral Health · 年份：2018 · DOI：10.1186/s12903-018-0646-8 · 被引用次数：11 · 研究领域：Oral microbiology and periodontitis research、Dental Health and Care Utilization、Smoking Behavior and Cessation

BACKGROUND: Smokers are at increased risk of oral disease. While routine dental care can help prevent and treat oral health problems, smokers have far lower rates of dental care utilization compared with non-smokers. We sought to better understand which factors may facilitate or hinder dental care utilization among low-income smokers participating in a randomized intervention trial in order to inform future intervention planning. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data collected between 2015 and 2017 as part of the OralHealth4Life trial. Participants were eligible callers to the Louisiana, Nebraska, and Oregon state tobacco quitlines who had no dental appointment in the prior or upcoming six months. We examined the association between participants' baseline characteristics and their receiving professional dental care between baseline and the 6-month follow-up survey. RESULTS: Participants were racially diverse (42% non-White) and two-thirds had an annual household income under $20,000. Most (86.7%) had not had a dental cleaning in more than one year. Commonly cited barriers to dental care included cost (83.7%) and no dental insurance (78.1%). Those with dental insurance were more likely to see a dentist at follow-up (RR 1.66). Similarly, those reporting a dental insurance barrier to care were less likely to see a dentist at follow-up (RR 0.69); however, there was no significant utilization difference between those reporting a cost barrier vs. those who did not. After co...