Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.
Am J Public Health. 2012 Dec;102(12):2352-9. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300471. Epub 2012 Jun 14.
We sought to understand the role of Latino acculturation in dental care utilization in Iowa children.
We used logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with having a previous-year dental check-up with 2005 Iowa Child and Family Household Health Survey data. We constructed models to examine the association with race/ethnicity and used chosen interview language to measure Latino acculturation.
After we controlled for several factors, having a regular dental care source, having a dental need, dental insurance status, family income, children's dental health rating, children's age, and brushing habits were associated with having a previous-year dental check-up. Race/ethnicity was indirectly associated with use of dental services through other related factors with significant differences for less-acculturated Latinos.
Policymakers and health planners should implement strategies to address individual, community, and system factors affecting racial/ethnic minorities. A regular source of dental care for Latino children that will enhance their access to services should be ensured. Ignoring the needs of the fastest growing segment of children with the poorest oral health and the least access to care will lead to future increase of oral diseases in this population.
我们试图了解爱荷华州儿童中拉丁裔文化融入对牙科保健利用的作用。
我们使用逻辑回归分析方法，利用 2005 年爱荷华州儿童和家庭家庭健康调查数据，评估了与上一年度牙科检查相关的因素。我们构建了模型，以检验种族/民族与选择的访谈语言之间的关联，用以衡量拉丁裔的文化融入程度。
在控制了几个因素后，有固定的牙科保健来源、有牙科需求、有牙科保险、家庭收入、儿童的牙齿健康评分、儿童年龄和刷牙习惯与上一年度的牙科检查有关。种族/民族通过其他相关因素与牙科服务的使用间接相关，未完全融入的拉丁裔之间存在显著差异。
政策制定者和卫生规划者应实施策略，解决影响少数族裔的个人、社区和系统因素。应确保为拉丁裔儿童提供定期的牙科保健服务，以增强他们获得服务的机会。忽视口腔健康最差、获得医疗保健机会最少的儿童中增长最快的群体的需求，将导致该人群未来口腔疾病的增加。
