Dental Insurance Status Among Formerly Incarcerated Older Adults

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Social Determinants of Health
• Dental Public Health

Background:

• Formerly incarcerated individuals exhibit poorer oral health and reduced dental care access compared to the general population.
• The impact of prior incarceration on dental insurance coverage disparities remains under-examined.
• Older adults with a history of incarceration are a vulnerable group facing unique healthcare challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between prior incarceration and dental insurance coverage among older adults.
• To determine the mediating role of the income-to-poverty ratio in this relationship.
• To inform policy recommendations for improving dental care access for formerly incarcerated populations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Health and Retirement Study (n=11,638) for analysis.
• Employed multiple logistic regression to assess the odds of dental insurance coverage.
• Applied the Karlson-Holm-Breen method to quantify mediation effects of the income-to-poverty ratio.

Main Results:

• Formerly incarcerated older adults were significantly less likely to have dental insurance (OR=0.745, CI=0.608-0.912).
• This association lost statistical significance after controlling for the income-to-poverty ratio.
• The income-to-poverty ratio explained approximately 45% of the link between prior incarceration and dental insurance coverage.

Conclusions:

• The income-to-poverty ratio is a significant mediator in the relationship between prior incarceration and dental insurance coverage.
• Findings underscore the critical need for policies aimed at expanding affordable dental insurance options for formerly incarcerated older adults.
• Addressing socioeconomic factors is crucial for reducing oral health disparities in this population.