TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors associated with unmet dental care needs in Canadian immigrants
T2 - An analysis of the longitudinal survey of immigrants to Canada
AU - Calvasina, Paola
AU - Muntaner, Carles
AU - Quiñonez, Carlos
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Background: Immigrants are often considered to have poorer oral health than native born-populations. One possible explanation for immigrants' poor oral health is lack of access to dental care. There is very little information on Canadian immigrants' access to dental care, and unmet dental care needs. This study examines predictors of unmet dental care needs among a sample of adult immigrants to Canada over a three-point-five-year post-migration period. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted on the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). Sampling and bootstrap weights were applied to make the data nationally representative. Simple descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the demographic characteristics of the sample. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied to identify factors associated with immigrants' unmet dental care needs over a three-point-fiveyear period. Results: Approximately 32% of immigrants reported unmet dental care needs. Immigrants lacking dental insurance (OR = 2.63; 95% CI: 2.05-3.37), and those with an average household income of $20,000 to $40,000 per year (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.01-2.61), and lower than $20,000 (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.31-3.86), were more likely to report unmet dental care needs than those earning more than $60,000 per year. In addition, South Asian (OR = 1.85; CI: 1.25-2.73) and Chinese (OR = 2.17; CI: 1.47-3.21) immigrants had significantly higher odds of reporting unmet dental care needs than Europeans. Conclusions: Lack of dental insurance, low income and ethnicity predicted unmet dental care needs over a three-pointfive- year period in a sample of immigrants to Canada.
AB - Background: Immigrants are often considered to have poorer oral health than native born-populations. One possible explanation for immigrants' poor oral health is lack of access to dental care. There is very little information on Canadian immigrants' access to dental care, and unmet dental care needs. This study examines predictors of unmet dental care needs among a sample of adult immigrants to Canada over a three-point-five-year post-migration period. Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted on the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). Sampling and bootstrap weights were applied to make the data nationally representative. Simple descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the demographic characteristics of the sample. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied to identify factors associated with immigrants' unmet dental care needs over a three-point-fiveyear period. Results: Approximately 32% of immigrants reported unmet dental care needs. Immigrants lacking dental insurance (OR = 2.63; 95% CI: 2.05-3.37), and those with an average household income of $20,000 to $40,000 per year (OR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.01-2.61), and lower than $20,000 (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.31-3.86), were more likely to report unmet dental care needs than those earning more than $60,000 per year. In addition, South Asian (OR = 1.85; CI: 1.25-2.73) and Chinese (OR = 2.17; CI: 1.47-3.21) immigrants had significantly higher odds of reporting unmet dental care needs than Europeans. Conclusions: Lack of dental insurance, low income and ethnicity predicted unmet dental care needs over a three-pointfive- year period in a sample of immigrants to Canada.
KW - Canada
KW - Dental care
KW - Immigrants
KW - Longitudinal studies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84964312745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84964312745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/1472-6831-14-145
DO - 10.1186/1472-6831-14-145
M3 - Article
C2 - 25465024
AN - SCOPUS:84964312745
VL - 14
JO - BMC Oral Health
JF - BMC Oral Health
SN - 1472-6831
IS - 1
M1 - 145
ER -