Transcript US Worker Dental Care Access & Unmet Dental Needs:The National

US Worker Dental Care Access &
Unmet Dental Needs:
The National Health Interview Survey 1997 to 2003
AJ. Caban-Martinez, DJ. Lee, LE. Fleming W LeBlanc, K Arheart,
K Chung-Bridges, SL Christ, T Pitman
Dept Epidemiology & Public Health (University of Miami Miller School of Medicine),
Odum Research Institute (UNC Chapel Hill, NC)
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Impact of Oral Health Care
Oral Health Care Objectives of Healthy People 2010
Dental Insurance through Employers?
Study Objective: Determine the proportion of US
workers meeting Health People 2010 oral health
care objectives.
 Meeting NORA Priority Area
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National Health Interview
Survey (NHIS)
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Multipurpose and multistage area probability
cross-sectional survey of US population
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National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
Working Adults > 18 years interviewed1997-2003
Employment Classification
Health behaviors
SUDAAN
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Results
66,616 Male workers and 68,388 female
workers participated 1997-2003
Among 41 Occupational Groups reporting No
Dental Visit in past 12 months:
19-58% of male workers
18-50% of female workers
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Results
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Occupations in which the majority of male workers had not seen a
dentist in the past year included:
 Forestry and fishing occupations
 Construction laborers
 Farm workers and other agricultural workers
 Food service workers
 Freight and stock material handlers
Occupations for female workers with reported highest rates of unmet
dental needs:
 Construction and extractive trade workers
 Construction laborers
 Food service workers
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Conclusion/Recommendations
Substantial variability in oral care utilization
in different worker groups
 Reliance on employers for dental health
insurance leads to disparities
 Continued surveillance of unmet dental
needs and oral health care utilization using
the NHIS
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Thank you / Questions?
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