Dental care inequities linked to sociodemographic factors
A study may have identified the factors contributing to delayed dental care.
In the analysis, published in the International Dental Journal, investigators used a machine-learning approach to examine disparities in timely dental care among nearly 55,000 U.S. adults who participated in the 2023 National Health Interview Survey.
The investigators found that 14.5% of the participants delayed dental care within the past year. Age-, race-, insurance- and education-related factors were associated with an increased rate of delayed dental care. For instance, the likelihood of delayed care was higher among participants aged 35 to 64 years compared with those aged 65 years and older, Black participants and those with multiple races compared with white participants, participants without dental insurance compared with those who had dental insurance, and participants with lower levels of educational attainment compared with those who achieved higher levels of education.
The findings demonstrated the critical need for novel strategies — including policies aimed at improving dental coverage, financial barriers to care and outreach programs — to eliminate delays in dental care among at-risk patients.
Read more: International Dental Journal
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