TRENDS OF ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS BY IMMIGRATION STATUS IN THE UNITED STATES: 1999–2018
2024

Oral Health Trends of Older Adults by Immigration Status in the US

Sample size: 18853 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Luo Huabin, Wu Bei, Qi Xiang, Moss Mark

Primary Institution: East Carolina University

Hypothesis

What are the trends in oral health among older adults in the US based on immigration status from 1999 to 2018?

Conclusion

There was a significant decline in fair/poor oral health among older adults in the US from 1999 to 2018, but disparities remained, especially for noncitizens.

Supporting Evidence

  • The study assessed oral health trends using national data from 1999 to 2018.
  • Noncitizens reported higher rates of fair/poor oral health compared to US-born and naturalized citizens.
  • After adjusting for demographics, disparities in oral health were not statistically significant.

Takeaway

This study looked at how older people's teeth and gums have been doing over time, especially for immigrants, and found that while things got better overall, some groups still had more problems.

Methodology

The study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey to assess self-reported oral health trends among older adults.

Limitations

The study may not fully capture all factors affecting oral health disparities.

Participant Demographics

Participants included 14,154 US-born Americans, 2,980 naturalized citizens, and 1,719 noncitizens, all aged 50 and older.

Statistical Information

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/geroni/igae098.1427

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