Examining factors associated with the utilization of dental services and the awareness of increased oral cancer risks among newly, incarcerated adults in Georgia

Although the state of Georgia accounts for the fifth largest prison population in the U.S., there is limited public information on the quality of oral health among its prisoners. To address this disparity, Community Voices: Healthcare for the Underserved of Morehouse School of Medicine and the Georgia Department of Corrections partnered to develop and conduct a 2012 Oral Health Access Survey among newly, incarcerated adult prisoners. This survey was administered over a four-week period in summer 2012 to examine the ability of the cohort to access oral health services. For the current study, a secondary data analysis was conducted to: (1) employ Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use to assess the influence of various factors on the utilization of dental services and (2) determine if inmates who reported synergistic smoking and drinking behavior, have been informed of their increased risk for oral cancer. Univariate, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were conducted utilizing SAS 9.2 software. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were also calculated. By assessing Anderson's model, this research found two contextual factors that were significantly associated to the utilization of dental services among the sample population (p-values < 0.05). It was also found that the majority of the cohort who reported synergistic smoking and drinking behavior had not been informed of their increased risk for oral cancer by a dental/healthcare provider. These findings demonstrate disparities that support the need for public health action that can improve the dental care workforce, policies, and procedures within Georgia's correctional system.