Ethnic variation in oral health and social integration among older rural adults.
J Appl Gerontol
; 32(3): 302-23, 2013 Apr.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-23788829
ABSTRACT
This analysis examines the associations of oral health with social integration among ethnically diverse (African American, American Indian, White) rural older adults. Data are from a cross-sectional survey of 635 randomly selected community-dwelling adults aged 60+. Measures include self-rated oral health, number of teeth, number of oral health problems, social engagement, and social network size. Minority elders have poorer oral health than do White older adults. Most rural elders have substantial social engagement and social networks. Better oral health (greater number of teeth) is directly associated with social engagement, whereas the relationship of oral health to social network size is complex. The association of oral health with social engagement does not differ by ethnicity. Poorer oral health is associated with less social integration among African American, American Indian, and White elders. More research on the ways oral health affects the lives of older adults is warranted.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
População Rural
/
Apoio Social
/
Idoso
/
Saúde Bucal
Tipo de estudo:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Appl Gerontol
Ano de publicação:
2013
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos