Caldwell JT, et al. - The current study was expected to explore whether the relationship between having a usual source of health care and oral health varies for white and black older adults in rural and urban areas in the United States. On the basis of the data collected, it was concluded that access to primary health care was related to improved oral health outcomes, but it did not close the gap between whites and blacks in rural areas.

Methods

• For the purpose of this study, the researchers draw on cross-sectional data of adults (50 years+) from the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (n = 15,473).
• Multivariate logistic regression analyzed the role of a usual source of health care in conditioning racial differences in complete tooth loss and a dental visit in the previous two years.
• A usual source of health care is a place, not including an emergency room, where a person goes when he or she is sick or needs health advice.

Results

• The study results showed that blacks had high rates of tooth loss (28%) and low rates of dental visits (34%) in rural areas.
• Having a usual source of health care was correlated with higher odds of a dental visit for all adults.
• In rural areas, the relationship between a usual source of health care and tooth loss varied by race (P< .001); blacks had more tooth loss as compared to whites even with a usual source of health care.