Predictors of dental care use, unmet dental care need, and barriers to unmet need among women: results from NHANES, 2011 to 2016.

Abstract

To examine socio-demographic and economic predictors of dental care access among women in the United States. A total of 52,493,940 women at the US national level aged 20-44 years were identified from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011 to 2016. Weighted multivariate logistic regression models were computed to identify predictors of dental care use, unmet dental-care need, and reported reasons for unmet need. Young, Mexican-American, other minority race-ethnicities, less educated, and uninsured women were independently more likely to have never visited a dental clinic (P < 0.025). Mexican-Americanwomen with a poverty income ratio (PIR) <2.00 and less than excellent health status and those uninsured were independently more likely to have unmet dental need (P < 0.025). Women with PIR <1.00 and those uninsured were independently more likely to have an unmet need because of unaffordable cost (P < 0.0008) or lack of procedure coverage by insurance (P < 0.0008). Younger women were more likely to think that the dental problem would go away (P < 0.0001). While young, less educated, and women from minority race-ethnicities were less likely to report ever use of dental care, only low income, poor health, and uninsured women were more likely to report unmet dental care need. Racial-ethnic minority, less educated, and young women may benefit from improved education about the value of dental care. Expanding insurance coverage for dental care and improving access for women with poor health may address racial-ethnic and education-level disparities in unmet dental care need.