Assessing the role of dental insurance in oral health care disparities in Canadian adults.
Health Rep
; 35(4): 3-14, 2024 Apr 17.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38630919
ABSTRACT
Background:
This study examines the association of dental insurance with oral health care access and utilization in Canada while accounting for income and sociodemographic factors. It contributes to a baseline of oral health care disparities before the implementation of the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP). Data andmethods:
This retrospective study of Canadians aged 18 to 64 years is based on data from the 2022 Canadian Community Health Survey. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to evaluate the association of dental insurance with the recency and frequency of dental visits, as well as avoidance of dental care because of cost.Results:
Overall, 65.7% of Canadians reported visiting a dental professional in the previous year 74.6% of those with private insurance, 62.8% with public insurance, and 49.8% uninsured. Cost-related avoidance of dental care was 16.0%, 20.9%, and 47.4% for the privately insured, publicly insured, and uninsured, respectively. After adjustment, adults with private (odds ratio [OR]=2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.32 to 2.78) and public (OR=2.17; 95% CI 1.75 to 2.68) insurance were more likely to have visited a dental professional in the last year compared with those without insurance. Similarly, both private (OR=0.22; 95% CI 0.20 to 0.25) and public (OR=0.22; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.29) insurance holders showed a significantly lower likelihood of avoiding dental visits because of cost when compared with uninsured individuals.Interpretation:
This study showed the significant association of dental insurance with access to oral health care in Canada, contributing to setting a critical benchmark for assessments of the CDCP's effectiveness in addressing oral health disparities.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Disparidades en Atención de Salud
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Pueblos de América del Norte
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Seguro Odontológico
Límite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Humans
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Middle aged
País como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article