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Racial Discrimination and Uptake of Dental Services among American Adults

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Listed:
  • Wael Sabbah

    (Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, Bessemer Road, London SE5 9RS, UK)

  • Aswathikutty Gireesh

    (Institute of Child Health, Department of Population, Policy and Practice, University College London, 30 Guilford St, London WC1N 1EH, UK)

  • Malini Chari

    (Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, 124 Edward St, Toronto, ON M5G 1G6, Canada)

  • Elsa K. Delgado-Angulo

    (Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, Bessemer Road, London SE5 9RS, UK)

  • Eduardo Bernabé

    (Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, Bessemer Road, London SE5 9RS, UK)

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between racial discrimination and use of dental services among American adults. We used data from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a health-related telephone cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. Racial discrimination was indicated by two items, namely perception of discrimination while seeking healthcare within the past 12 months and emotional impact of discrimination within the past 30 days. Their association with dental visits in the past year was tested in logistic regression models adjusting for predisposing (age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, smoking status), enabling (health insurance), and need (missing teeth) factors. Approximately 3% of participants reported being discriminated when seeking healthcare in the past year, whereas 5% of participants reported the emotional impact of discrimination in the past month. Participants who experienced emotional impact of discrimination were less likely to have visited the dentist during the past year (Odds Ratios (OR): 0.57; 95% CI 0.44–0.73) than those who reported no emotional impact in a crude model. The association was attenuated but remained significant after adjustments for confounders (OR: 0.76, 95% CI 0.58–0.99). There was no association between healthcare discrimination and last year dental visit in the fully adjusted model. Emotional impact of racial discrimination was an important predictor of use of dental services. The provision of dental health services should be carefully assessed after taking account of racial discrimination and its emotional impacts within the larger context of social inequalities.

Suggested Citation

  • Wael Sabbah & Aswathikutty Gireesh & Malini Chari & Elsa K. Delgado-Angulo & Eduardo Bernabé, 2019. "Racial Discrimination and Uptake of Dental Services among American Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-8, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:9:p:1558-:d:228155
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Hall, W.J. & Chapman, M.V. & Lee, K.M. & Merino, Y.M. & Thomas, T.W. & Payne, B.K. & Eng, E. & Day, S.H. & Coyne-Beasley, T., 2015. "Implicit racial/ethnic bias among health care professionals and its influence on health care outcomes: A systematic review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(12), pages 60-76.
    4. Kelly, S.E. & Binkley, C.J. & Neace, W.P. & Gale, B.S., 2005. "Barriers to care-seeking for children's oral health among low-income caregivers," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 95(8), pages 1345-1351.
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    Cited by:

    1. Patrick D. Smith & Darien J. Weatherspoon & Tiosha Bailey & Caryn E. Peterson & Marcus Murray & Osei Bekoe & Anuoluwapo Shadamoro & Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters & Kimberly Nu-Tall, 2023. "An Exploration of Black Men’s Attitudes and Experiences Communicating with Dentists about Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(19), pages 1-8, September.
    2. Brenda Hayanga & Mai Stafford & Laia Bécares, 2021. "Ethnic Inequalities in Healthcare Use and Care Quality among People with Multiple Long-Term Health Conditions Living in the United Kingdom: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-23, November.

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