Rurality of Location of Origin among Adult Latinx Immigrants: Association with Oral Health Factors

This study examined how Mexican and Central American immigrants' location of origin (in their home country) along the rural/urban continuum was associated with four selected dental outcomes among recent immigrants, prior to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Using baseline wave data from the 2017-2022 VidaSana study about the health and living environment of Mexican and Central American immigrants living in Indiana, this study used logistic regression models to examine the extent to which rural versus urban differences in location of origin and other sociodemographic variables predicted self-rated oral health, self-rated oral health knowledge, oral pain, and ever having fluoride applied in a dental office.

The present analysis was based on 547 Mexican and Central American immigrant respondents (68% females; mean age, 34.4 years [SD, 11.2]; Central American: 42%; Mexican: 58%). A higher degree of rurality in the geographic location of origin was associated with less desirable oral health features.

The rural/urban divide is significantly associated with oral health impacts of Hispanic/Latinx groups. This may be partly due to the often-lower educational opportunities available and the socioeconomic status in rural areas, in comparison with more affluent urban locations; such disparity is likely to provide fewer opportunities to maintain a healthful status (eg, less access to actionable health maneuvers involving toothpaste, toothbrushes, and dental floss for good oral hygiene; or more limited access to dental offices). The degree of rurality in the location of origin appears to be one element in the complex health disparities landscape.