Donna Shelley|Stefanie L. Russell|Nila U. Parikh|Marianne C. Fahs
Ethnic Disparities in Self-Reported Oral Health Status and Access to Care among Older Adults in NYC
New York University|New York University|Hunter College|City University of New York|The Graduate Center, CUNY|Hunter College
growing burden oral disease among older adults significantly borne minorities poor immigrants yet national attention oral heath disparities focused almost exclusively children resulting large gaps knowledge oral health risks older adults access care projected growth minority immigrant elderly population proportion older adults heightens urgency exploring addressing factors associated oral healthrelated disparities 2008 new york city health indicators project hip conducted survey representative sample 1870 adults age 60 attended random selection 56 senior centers new york city survey included questions related oral health status study used hip database examine differences selfreported dental status dental care utilization dental insurance raceethnicity among communitydwelling older adults nonhispanic white respondents reported better dental health higher dental care utilization higher satisfaction dental care compared racialethnic groups among minority older adults chinese immigrants likely report poor dental health less likely report dental care utilization dental insurance less satisfied dental care compared racialethnic groups language fluency significantly related access dental care among chinese immigrants among diverse communitydwelling population older adults new york city found significant differences raceethnicity factors related oral health greater attention needed enhancing cultural competency providers addressing gaps oral health literacy reducing language barriers impede access care