Oral health care access and utilization among people with hearing impairments: evidence from a Jordanian comparative...

Oral health is a vital component of overall well-being; however, individuals with hearing impairments often experience substantial challenges in accessing appropriate dental care. In Jordan, limited research has explored oral health disparities among individuals with hearing impairments, emphasizing the need for a focused investigation.

This study aimed to assess the utilization of dental services among individuals with hearing impairments in Jordan and to identify key barriers affecting their access to dental care, in comparison with individuals without hearing impairments.

A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted involving 289 participants, including 140 individuals with hearing impairments and 149 individuals without hearing impairments. Data on dental service utilization, reasons for dental visits, and perceived barriers to accessing care were collected using a validated, self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling from centers and associations supporting individuals with hearing impairments. Data analysis was performed using SPSS® version 22, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Group differences were examined using Chi-square tests and contingency table analyses.

Participants with hearing impairments reported fewer dental appointments in the past year compared to controls (47% vs. 64%, respectively; p < 0.05). Toothache was the most common reason for the most recent dental visit in both groups (60.8% vs. 62.4%). Participants with hearing impairments reported significantly more barriers to dental care than controls. These included distance to dental offices (25% vs. 12.8%; p = 0.008), inaccessible parking (14.3% vs. 6.0%; p = 0.020), inadequate dental facilities (14.3% vs. 3.4%; p = 0.001), lack of dentist knowledge about treating individuals with disabilities (16.4% vs. 6.1%; p = 0.005), limited availability of specialists (18.6% vs. 9.4%; p = 0.024), and embarrassment (26.8% vs. 9.4%; p < 0.001.

This study demonstrated socioeconomic disparities in dental service utilization among individuals with hearing impairments, alongside multiple barriers to accessing care. The findings highlight the most commonly perceived obstacles to oral health services within this population and provide valuable insights to guide the development of targeted health policies and interventions aimed at improving access to dental care and reducing oral health inequalities within this vulnerable population.