TABLE 1.
Population Characteristics of Older Adults With and Without a Dental Visit in the Previous 2 Years: Health and Retirement Study, United States, 2004 and 2006
| Total 2004 and 2006Population in Thousands | Dental Care Utilization in the 2 Years Preceding the 2004 and 2006 Interviews |
Dental Care Utilization in the 2 Years Preceding the 2004 Interview |
No Dental Care Utilization in the 2 Years Preceding the 2004 Interview |
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| Population Characteristics | Yes, % (SE) | No,a %, SE) | Population in Thousands | Stopped Utilization by 2006, % (SE) | Population in Thousands | Started Utilization by 2006, % (SE) | |
| Total | 74 047 | 58.14 (0.98) | 24.69 (0.76) | 49 758 | 13.47 (0.48) | 24 289 | 24.72 (0.58) |
| Age, y | |||||||
| 51–64 | 38 921 | 62.46 (1.16) | 20.22 (0.85) | 27 753 | 12.40 (0.59) | 11 168 | 29.55 (1.01) |
| 65–69 | 10 087 | 57.81 (1.20) | 26.81 (1.08) | 6593 | 11.56 (0.78) | 3494 | 22.59 (1.34) |
| 70–74 | 8364 | 55.31 (1.64) | 27.60 (1.37) | 5408 | 14.45 (1.11) | 2957 | 21.91 (1.50) |
| ≥ 75 | 16 675 | 49.68 (1.20) | 32.40 (1.08) | 10 005 | 17.19 (0.92) | 6670 | 18.99 (0.97) |
| Gender | |||||||
| Men | 33 713 | 56.41 (1.12) | 25.33 (0.83) | 22 223 | 14.43 (0.65) | 11 490 | 25.68 (0.93) |
| Women | 40 334 | 59.59 (1.01) | 24.16 (0.86) | 27 534 | 12.71 (0.52) | 12 800 | 23.86 (0.86) |
| Ethnicity/race | |||||||
| Black non-Hispanic | 6668 | 35.12 (1.47) | 39.57 (1.57) | 3255 | 28.06 (1.87) | 3412 | 22.67 (1.78) |
| Hispanic | 5178 | 36.76 (3.16) | 38.38 (2.68) | 2607 | 27.00 (2.69) | 2571 | 22.69 (1.91) |
| White non-Hispanic | 60 317 | 62.77 (0.97) | 21.81 (0.73) | 42 700 | 11.33 (0.52) | 17 617 | 25.34 (0.72) |
| Other non-Hispanic | 1876 | 50.52 (3.74) | 26.51 (3.50) | 1195 | 20.69 (2.94) | 681 | 26.96 (5.28) |
| Family incomeb | |||||||
| Poor | 5661 | 26.95 (1.55) | 49.16 (2.12) | 2281 | 33.13 (2.23) | 3379 | 17.65 (1.96) |
| Low income | 11 983 | 35.53 (1.41) | 42.18 (1.28) | 5681 | 25.05 (1.27) | 6302 | 19.81 (1.13) |
| Middle income | 21 605 | 52.89 (1.18) | 27.72 (1.08) | 13 743 | 16.85 (1.00) | 7862 | 23.83 (1.16) |
| High income | 34 799 | 74.26 (0.87) | 12.82 (0.55) | 28 052 | 7.88 (0.42) | 6746 | 33.89 (1.36) |
| Education | |||||||
| < high-school degree | 13 054 | 26.29 (1.41) | 51.50 (1.40) | 5041 | 31.91 (1.83) | 8013 | 16.10 (0.81) |
| High-school graduate | 42 912 | 58.02 (0.90) | 23.60 (0.71) | 29 056 | 14.32 (0.67) | 13 857 | 26.92 (0.95) |
| College graduate | 18 019 | 81.55 (0.98) | 7.84 (0.58) | 15 622 | 5.93 (0.46) | 2397 | 41.06 (2.69) |
| Marital status | |||||||
| Married | 49 340 | 63.49 (1.14) | 20.39 (0.85) | 35 439 | 11.61 (0.51) | 13 902 | 27.64 (0.91) |
| Widowed or divorced | 21 957 | 46.81 (1.12) | 33.69 (0.97) | 12 648 | 18.73 (1.03) | 9309 | 20.54 (1.13) |
| Never married | 2743 | 52.86 (2.46) | 30.04 (2.45) | 1669 | 13.13 (1.91) | 1074 | 23.27 (3.77) |
| Household size | |||||||
| 1 | 15 790 | 51.50 (1.15) | 30.20 (0.91) | 9723 | 16.36 (1.02) | 6067 | 21.41 (1.31) |
| 2 | 39 363 | 63.14 (1.20) | 21.16 (0.93) | 28 084 | 11.50 (0.51) | 11 279 | 26.16 (0.98) |
| ≥ 3 | 18 894 | 53.28 (1.55) | 27.46 (1.18) | 11 951 | 15.76 (0.90) | 6944 | 25.28 (1.20) |
| Health status | |||||||
| Excellent or very good | 32 090 | 71.33 (1.05) | 15.17 (0.72) | 25 043 | 8.60 (0.49) | 7047 | 30.93 (1.18) |
| Good | 22 186 | 56.68 (1.07) | 24.77 (0.91) | 14 716 | 14.55 (0.68) | 7470 | 26.43 (1.25) |
| Fair or poor | 19 682 | 38.36 (1.23) | 40.18 (1.03) | 9940 | 24.05 (1.23) | 9741 | 18.82 (0.76) |
| Permanent teeth | |||||||
| All missing | 12 054 | 11.42 (0.66) | 66.84 (1.08) | 2898 | 52.48 (2.34) | 9156 | 12.00 (0.98) |
| Not missing all | 61 993 | 67.23 (0.97) | 16.50 (0.72) | 46 860 | 11.06 (0.45) | 15 133 | 32.41 (1.06) |
Source. RAND Health and Retirement Study Data, Version H.10
Note. Percentages across the rows sum to > 100% because the base for the percentages in the last 2 panels is not the total population but rather subsets of the total for those with or without dental care use in the 2 y preceding the 2004 interview. Population characteristics were measured at the time of the 2006 interview, for the 2-y period preceding the 2006 survey interview, or between the 2004 and 2006 interviews where indicated. Persons with missing data for specific categories are included in the population total but excluded from the respective categories. The total sample size for the table is 16 345, which does not include 646 who were not respondents in both the 2004 and 2006 waves and 1478 who either had 0 weights or did not have dental visit data in both Health and Retirement Study waves.
Person reported no dental care utilization in both 2-y periods preceding the 2004 and 2006 interviews.
Low income refers to persons in families with incomes 101% to 200% of the poverty line; middle income, 201% to 400% of the poverty line; and high income, > 400% of the poverty line. Poor persons were at or < 100% of the poverty line including persons in families with negative income.