The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #50720

Alice M. Horowitz, PhD, NIDCR/NIH, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 6307 Herkos Ct, Bethesda, MD 20817, 301-594-5391, alice.horowitz@nih.gov, Thomas Drury, PhD, NIDCR/NIH, National Institure of Dental and Craniofacial Research, NIH, Bldg. 45 Rm 3AN 44-A, Bethesda, MD 20892-6401, and Maria Teresa Canto, DDS, MPH, Office of Scienc Policy and Analysis, NIDCR, 45 Center Drive, Bldg 45 Room 3AN44, Bethesda, MD 20852.

The purposes of this study were (1) to describe socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in receipt of an oral cancer examination in the past year (OCE₁₂), and (2) to evaluate the extent to which they might be explained by age, gender, race, alcohol status, smoking status, edentulism, and a dental visit in the past year. 1998 NHIS data for 8,590+ adults 40+ years was analyzed by logistic regression (SUDAAN). SES was measured by a summated score based on educational attainment and annual family income. Overall, compared to higher SES adults 40+, lower SES adults were 4.5 times (OR=0.22), lower middle SES adults were 2.4 times (OR=0.41), and upper middle SES adults were 1.6 times (OR=0.62) less likely to have received an OCE₁₂. After adjusting for age, gender, race, alcohol status, smoking status, edentulism, and a dental visit in the past year, the ORs for lower SES, lower middle SES, and upper middle SES, compared to higher SES, were respectively, 0.34, 0.51, and 0.68. There was a clear SES gradient in the likelihood of receiving an OCE₁₂ in both the unadjusted and adjusted analyses. All p-values were £ .001. Even with demographics, health behaviors, and pertinent oral health characteristics taken into account, there still was a 2.9-fold disparity between the lowest and highest SES categories with respect to the receipt of an OCE₁₂, indicating that these variables explained only 35.6% of this largest SES disparity in receipt of an OCE₁₂.

Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to

• understand the impact of SES [level of education and annual family income] on having an oral cancer examination in the past year.
• recognize the need to address these issues when working to eliminate this health disparity

Keywords: Cancer Screening, Social Inequalities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.