ORAL HEALTH AND DENTAL CARE IN OLDER ASIAN AMERICANS

Abstract

Responding to the paucity of information on oral health and dental care in older Asian Americans, the present study examined the status and factors associated with dental health insurance, self-rated oral health, and use of preventive dental service. Data were driven from 533 older adult participants (aged 60 and older) in the 2015 Asian American Quality of Life Survey conducted in Central Texas. The criterion variables of interest were selected based on the Andersen’s behavioral model of health services: enabling (dental health insurance), needs (self-rated oral health), and utilization (use of preventive dental service) variables. Using a sequential design, the predictive model of each outcome was built, and sociodemographic and immigration-related variables were used as common covariates. More than 60% of the sample had no dental insurance, 45% reported that their oral health was either fair or poor, and 44% had not had dental check-up in the past 12 months. A series of logistic regression analyses identified the factors posing a significant risk to oral health and dental care. For example, those who had limited English proficiency were three times more likely to lack dental health insurance (enabling) and to have a fair/poor rating of oral health (needs). The odds of not using preventive dental service (utilization) were six times higher among those with no dental insurance coverage (enabling). The overall findings demonstrate substantial inequality in oral health and dental care outcomes in older Asian Americans and suggest strategies to promote their access to dental services.