Wiener R Constance, Sambamoorthi Usha, Shen Chan, Alwhaibi Monira, Findley Patricia
J Dent Hyg. 2018 Jun;92(3):14-22.
Low food security is potentially related to poor dental health and unmet dental care needs. Food security has become a significant public health concern in the United States (U.S.) since the Great Recession beginning in 2007. The purpose of this study is to determine the association between low food security and unmet dental care need in adults in the U.S. A cross-sectional design with data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012 was used for the study to measure unmet dental care need. The study population included 4,845 adults, ages 20 years and above. Chi square tests and logistic regressions were conducted for the statistical analysis. Overall, 47% of participants had unmet dental care need and 16% were found to have low food security. A higher percentage of adults with low food security had unmet dental care need (70.0% vs. 41.0%; ) as compared to adults with full food security. In adjusted analysis, adults with low food security were more likely to have unmet dental care need as compared to participants with full food security (Adjusted Odds Ratio, 1.58 [95% CI: 1.18, 2.12; <.01]). A significant association between low food security and unmet dental care need was identified among adults in the United States. Dental professionals routinely provide community educational programs and regularly query patients about food intake due to its impact on oral and overall health. It is important for dental professionals to be able to discuss community food resource options or refer patients to social service providers to assist individuals with low food security.
粮食安全水平低可能与口腔健康状况差和未满足的口腔护理需求有关。自2007年大衰退以来，粮食安全已成为美国一个重大的公共卫生问题。本研究的目的是确定美国成年人粮食安全水平低与未满足的口腔护理需求之间的关联。本研究采用横断面设计，使用2011 - 2012年国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）的数据来衡量未满足的口腔护理需求。研究人群包括4845名20岁及以上的成年人。进行卡方检验和逻辑回归分析。总体而言，47%的参与者有未满足的口腔护理需求，16%被发现粮食安全水平低。与粮食安全充足的成年人相比，粮食安全水平低的成年人中未满足口腔护理需求的比例更高（70.0%对41.0%）。在调整分析中，与粮食安全充足的参与者相比，粮食安全水平低的成年人更有可能有未满足的口腔护理需求（调整后的优势比，1.58 [95%置信区间：1.18, 2.12；<.01]）。在美国成年人中发现了粮食安全水平低与未满足的口腔护理需求之间的显著关联。由于食物摄入对口腔和整体健康有影响，牙科专业人员经常提供社区教育项目并定期询问患者的食物摄入情况。牙科专业人员能够讨论社区食物资源选择或转介患者到社会服务提供者处，以帮助粮食安全水平低的个人，这一点很重要。
