180530 Oral health and access to dental care among adults in California

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Timothy Brown, PhD , Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets and Consumer Welfare, University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA
Tracy L. Finlayson, PhD , Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Brent Fulton, PhD , Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets and Consumer Welfare, University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA
Salar Jahedi, BA , Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets and Consumer Welfare, University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA
Richard M. Scheffler, PhD , Nicholas C. Petris Center on Health Care Markets and Consumer Welfare, University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA
OBJECTIVE: This study measured oral health status and access to dental care among adult Californians. How overall utilization of dental care and unmet needs due to financial barriers in California varies by county, and how the demand for dental care and unmet needs varies with individual financial and non-financial characteristics were examined.

METHODS: Models were estimated using recent population-based datasets available for California, the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) and 2001-2003 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).

RESULTS: Preliminary BRFSS analysis revealed that about 40% of adults are missing one or more teeth due to disease. Individuals who are older, Asian, less educated, and have less income are more likely to be missing teeth. Preliminary CHIS analysis revealed 70.5% of adults had a prior year dental visit, and 64.8% were covered by dental insurance during 2003, 13.5% of which was Denti-Cal (Medicaid). Approximately 5% of the population is covered by Denti-Cal but do not know it. Large differences in insurance status by county were found. Demand for dental care is strongly related to income, education, dental insurance, and other sociodemographic factors play a clear role. Those without dental insurance, under age 55, African-American or Hispanic, or have family income under 300% FPL perceive financial barriers to their receiving needed dental care.

CONCLUSION: Socio-economically disadvantaged adults and some racial/ethnic minorities in California experience greater barriers to accessing dental care (have fewer visits) and have worse oral health (more missing teeth due to disease) than their counterparts.

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify the factors associated with demand for dental care for adult Californians. 2. Discuss adult dental utilization findings and the financial and non-financial correlates of dental use and unmet need. 3. Describe county level variation of dental utilization and unmet needs.

Keywords: Utilization, Adult Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I helped conduct the research
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Oral Health Poster Session VI
See more of: Oral Health