Table 1.
Covariate Means by Use of Dental Care, Dentate Individuals 50 Years of Age and Older: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2008–2013
| Variable | Total | With Preventive Dental Visit | Only Non-Preventive Dental Visits | No Dental Visits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Persons | 34,467,389 | 16,930,829 | 1,835,972 | 15,700,589 |
| Enabling Variables | ||||
| Age/Medicare Insurance Status, % | ||||
| No Medicare | 58.25 (0.68) |
58.06 (0.94) |
56.55 (2.06) |
58.65 (0.77) |
| Uninsured | 7.91 (0.29) |
3.34y (0.22) |
6.84x (1.06) |
12.97 (0.51) |
| Public Only | 1.59 (0.09) |
0.78x (0.10) |
1.13x (0.26) |
2.51 (0.16) |
| Any Private | 46.24 (0.71) |
52.19y (0.94) |
45.49x (2.23) |
39.91 (0.84) |
| Medicare | 41.75 (0.68) |
41.94 (0.94) |
43.45 (2.06) |
41.35 (0.77) |
| Under 65 | 3.91 (0.19) |
2.15y (0.20) |
3.88x (0.78) |
5.81 (0.28) |
| 65–74, Medicare Only | 7.64 (0.31) |
6.62x (0.43) |
8.22 (0.95) |
8.68 (0.45) |
| 65–74, Private | 12.45 (0.40) |
15.10x (0.63) |
12.79x (1.31) |
9.55 (0.42) |
| 65–74, Other Public | 2.46 (0.16) |
1.87x (0.18) |
1.64x (0.36) |
3.20 (0.25) |
| 75+, Medicare Only | 6.00 (0.31) |
6.09 (0.42) |
5.07 (0.88) |
6.01 (0.34) |
| 75+, Private | 7.21 (0.41) |
8.50x (0.55) |
9.36x (1.43) |
5.55 (0.37) |
| 75+, Other Public | 2.09 (0.16) |
1.62 (0.17) |
2.50 (0.59) |
2.55 (0.23) |
| Dental Insurance Coverage, % | 49.51 (0.65) |
66.38y (0.90) |
58.10x (2.04) |
30.31 (0.80) |
| Family Income, %a | ||||
| Poor | 8.03 (0.29) |
4.85y (0.31) |
6.88x (0.75) |
11.58 (0.47) |
| Low Income | 15.63 (0.48) |
10.54y (0.51) |
14.05x (1.37) |
21.30 (0.65) |
| Middle Income | 27.08 (0.54) |
23.85x (0.77) |
27.58 (1.80) |
30.50 (0.65) |
| High Income | 49.27 (0.79) |
60.76y (0.90) |
51.49x (2.00) |
36.61 (0.86) |
| Need Variables | ||||
| Health Status, % | ||||
| Excellent, Very Good | 53.34 (0.56) |
60.67y (0.75) |
53.06x (2.00) |
45.45 (0.77) |
| Good | 30.56 (0.42) |
28.46x (0.64) |
29.10x (1.84) |
32.99 (0.65) |
| Fair, Poor | 16.11 (0.39) |
10.86y (1.52) |
17.84x (1.52) |
21.56 (0.59) |
| Mental Health Status, % | ||||
| Excellent, Very Good | 65.67 (0.53) |
71.06y (0.61) |
63.40 (2.16) |
60.14 (0.78) |
| Good | 26.23 (0.48) |
23.21y (0.57) |
28.14 (1.91) |
29.28 (0.74) |
| Fair, Poor | 8.09 (0.26) |
5.74y (0.30) |
8.46 (1.12) |
10.59 (0.40) |
| Any Limitation in Physical Functioning, % | 20.91 (0.49) |
18.39y (0.72) |
22.02 (1.57) |
23.49 (0.61) |
| Predisposing Variables | ||||
| Women, % | 52.64 (0.33) |
54.83x (0.49) |
55.04x (1.79) |
50.00 (0.56) |
| Race/Ethnicity, % | ||||
| White, Non-Hispanic | 77.69 (0.86) |
86.41y (0.71) |
76.50x (1.56) |
68.42 (1.17) |
| Black, Non-Hispanic | 8.75 (0.47) |
4.87y (0.33) |
8.59x (0.93) |
12.95 (0.68) |
| Hispanic | 8.28 (0.57) |
4.44y (0.32) |
8.03x (0.93) |
12.46 (0.94) |
| Other, Non-Hispanic | 5.28 (0.51) |
4.28y (0.47) |
6.88 (1.05) |
6.17 (0.65) |
| Marital Status, % | ||||
| Married | 63.27 (0.69) |
67.47y (0.91) |
63.03x (1.93) |
58.76 (0.81) |
| Widowed, Divorced, Separated | 29.67 (0.60) |
26.13y (0.78) |
31.12 (1.91) |
33.31 (0.74) |
| Never Married | 7.07 (0.23) |
6.39x (0.34) |
5.85x (0.66) |
7.93 (0.32) |
| Family Size, % | ||||
| One Person | 25.39 (0.60) |
24.71 (0.82) |
27.74 (1.84) |
25.84 (0.70) |
| Two Persons | 51.95 (0.61) |
56.85y (0.80) |
50.76 (2.24) |
46.81 (0.70) |
| Three or More Persons | 22.66 (0.51) |
18.44x (0.61) |
21.49x (1.84) |
27.34 (0.71) |
| Educational Attainment, % | ||||
| Less than High School Degree | 6.98 (0.28) |
2.96y (0.20) |
5.53x (0.69) |
11.50 (0.44) |
| High School Degree | 52.39 (0.69) |
48.29y (1.00) |
56.48 (2.03) |
56.32 (0.82) |
| College Degree and Beyond | 36.71 (0.76) |
47.14y (1.03) |
34.31x (2.07) |
25.73 (0.73) |
| Census Region | ||||
| Northeast | 18.69 (0.79) |
19.25 (1.06) |
20.57 (1.55) |
17.86 (0.86) |
| Midwest | 22.34 (0.75) |
24.94y (1.01) |
21.01 (1.69) |
19.69 (0.78) |
| South | 36.11 (0.94) |
32.42x (1.19) |
36.84 (2.49) |
40.00 (1.02) |
| West | 22.86 (0.83) |
23.38 (1.06) |
21.58 (2.24) |
22.44 (0.94) |
| Retirement, Labor Force Status, % | ||||
| Not Retired, In the Labor Force | 55.67 (0.63) |
57.23x (0.87) |
54.65 (2.24) |
54.09 (0.72) |
| Retired | 25.23 (0.64) |
28.90x (0.86) |
26.98 (2.02) |
21.06 (0.61) |
| Not Retired, Not in the Labor Force | 10.60 (0.34) |
7.72y (0.37) |
10.72x (1.28) |
13.69 (0.51) |
| Frequency of Dental Checkups, % | ||||
| Twice a Year or More | 50.40 (0.64) |
79.17y (0.60) |
52.37x (2.18) |
19.15 (0.63) |
| Once a Year | 19.59 (0.41) |
15.27y (0.52) |
25.61 (1.63) |
23.56 (0.60) |
| Less than Once a Year | 18.59 (0.43) |
4.67y (0.27) |
15.73x (1.26) |
33.93 (0.75) |
| Never Go to Dentist | 11.42 (0.34) |
0.89y (0.11) |
6.29x (1.14) |
23.37 (0.67) |
Note. Based on a sample size of 18,464 dentate persons 50 years and older with positive–valued weights in both years they were in the MEPS. Of these, 7,607 had at least one preventive dental visit during the year involving a cleaning, x-ray, exam, fluoride treatment, or sealant; 953 had only non-preventive dental visits during the year; and 9,904 did not visit the dentist during the year. Mean values are based on the first year each sampled person was in the MEPS. All estimates were made with weighted sample data.
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, greater than 400% of the poverty line. Persons in poor families were at or below the poverty line including persons in families with negative income.
Indicates that the mean in the column is significantly different from the mean for the population with no dental visits during the year.
Indicates that the mean in the column is significantly different from the mean for the population with only non-preventive dental visits and the mean for the population with no dental visits.