Determinants of Oral Health in Older Persons. Abstract and Executive Summary

摘要

The project examines the determinants of oral health. It describes howenvironmental factors, dental care delivery systems, population characteristics, and oral health behaviors may be linked to oral health outcomes for diverse ethnic groups and age cohorts in Baltimore, Maryland; San Antonio, Texas; and two American Indian Reservations in the United States. Respondent information was obtained by household interviews and clinical examinations were conducted by calibrated oral epidemiologist. Female gender, higher education, positive oral health beliefs, higher income and having a usual source of care were generally related to positive oral hygiene practices for most racial-ethnic groups. Ethnic minority groups reported fewer dental visits than White adults and having a regular source of care and experiencing oral pain were important determinants of a dental visit for all ethnic groups.