Table 2.
Comparisons between perceptions of oral health with demographic factors, health, lifestyle behaviours, and oral health practices in Indigenous adults (N = 943)
| Variables | Perceived oral health | Significance p < .0017 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Good n = 769 |
Poor n = 174 |
||
| Socio-demographic factors | |||
| Age | |||
| 18–34 | 230 (29.9) | 58 (33.3) | p = .530 |
| 35–64 | 447 (58.1) | 93 (53.4) | |
| 65+ | 92 (12) | 23 (13.2) | |
| Sex | |||
| Male | 316 (41.1) | 82 (47.1) | p = .146 |
| Female | 453 (58.9) | 92 (52.9) | |
| Marital Status | |||
| Partner | 363 (47.5) | 70 (40.7) | p = .108 |
| No Partner | 402 (52.5) | 102 (59.3) | |
| Education | |||
| Secondary education or less | 234 (31.5) | 68 (40) | p = .033 |
| Post-secondary education | 509 (68.5) | 102 (60) | |
| Income | |||
| Less than $40,000 | 243 (31.8) | 96 (55.2) | p < .001 |
| $40,000 or more | 521 (68.2) | 78 (44.8) | |
| Employment status | |||
| Employed | 486 (63.2) | 79 (45.4) | p < .001 |
| Unemployed | 283 (36.8) | 95 (54.6) | |
| Health-related factors | |||
| Perceived general health | |||
| Good | 654 (85.3) | 95 (54.6) | p < .001 |
| Poor | 113 (14.7) | 79 (45.4) | |
| Perceived mental health | |||
| Good | 692 (90.1) | 124 (71.3) | p < .001 |
| Poor | 76 (9.9) | 50 (28.7) | |
| Anxiety disorder | |||
| Yes | 129 (16.8) | 62 (35.8) | p < .001 |
| No | 639 (83.2) | 111 (64.2) | |
| Arthritis | |||
| Yes | 188 (24.5) | 63 (36.2) | p= .0015 |
| No | 580 (75.5) | 111 (63.8) | |
| Asthma | |||
| Yes | 103 (13.5) | 28 (16.1) | p = .367 |
| No | 662 (86.5) | 146 (83.9) | |
| Diabetes | |||
| Yes | 88 (11.5) | 30 (17.2) | p = .038 |
| No | 679 (88.5) | 144 (82.8) | |
| Effects of stroke | |||
| Yes | 9 (1.2) | 10 (5.8) | p < .001 |
| No | 760 (98.8) | 162 (94.2) | |
| Heart disease | |||
| Yes | 41 (5.4) | 17 (9.8) | p = .027 |
| No | 725 (94.6) | 156 (90.2) | |
| High blood pressure | |||
| Yes | 172 (22.4) | 44 (25.7) | p = .349 |
| No | 596 (77.6) | 127 (74.3) | |
| Mood disorder | |||
| Yes | 134 (17.5) | 61 (31.3) | p < .001 |
| No | 632 (82.5) | 112 (64.7) | |
| ORAL HEALTH | |||
| Dental insurance coverage | |||
| Yes | 573 (74.9) | 112 (65.1) | p = .009 |
| No | 192 (25.1) | 60 (34.9) | |
| Employer insurance | |||
| Yes | 384 (50.4) | 56 (32.6) | p < .001 |
| No | 378 (76.5) | 116 (23.5) | |
| Non-insured health benefits | |||
| Yes | 140 (18.4) | 19 (11) | p = .021 |
| No | 622 (81.6) | 153 (89) | |
| Social service insurance | |||
| Yes | 55 (7.2) | 35 (20.3) | p < .001 |
| No | 707 (92.8) | 137 (79.7) | |
| Regular dental visits | |||
| Yes | 579 (75.8) | 97 (56.1) | p < .001 |
| No | 185 (24.2) | 76 (43.9) | |
| Dental visit for emergency | |||
| Yes | 109 (14.2) | 52 (30.1) | p < .001 |
| No | 659 (85.8) | 121 (69.9) | |
| Uncomfortable to eat foods | |||
| Yes | 108 (14) | 101 (58) | p < .001 |
| No | 661 (86) | 73 (42) | |
| Avoid particular foods | |||
| Yes | 76 (9.9) | 89 (51.1) | p < .001 |
| No | 693 (90.1) | 85 (48.9) | |
| Persistent pain | |||
| Yes | 86 (11.2) | 82 (47.1) | p < .001 |
| No | 683 (88.8) | 92 (52.9) | |
| Bleeding gums | |||
| Yes | 190 (24.7) | 88 (50.6) | p < .001 |
| No | 579 (75.3) | 86 (49.4) | |
| Bad breath | |||
| Yes | 117 (15.2) | 72 (41.4) | p < .001 |
| No | 652 (84.8) | 102 (58.6) | |
| Lifestyle behaviours | |||
| Smoking status | |||
| Smoker | 218 (28.3) | 98 (56.3) | p < .001 |
| Non-smoker | 551 (71.7) | 76 (43.7) | |
| Alcohol consumption | |||
| Drinker | 623 (81.3) | 139 (80.3) | p = .765 |
| Non-drinker (last 12 months) | 143 (18.7) | 34 (19.7) | |
| Transportation | |||
| Driving last year | |||
| Yes | 634 (82.4) | 109 (62.6) | p < .001 |
| No | 135 (17.6) | 65 (37.4) | |
p values in italic indicate statistical significance