Original ContributionsCover StoryPatient-reported receipt of oral cancer screenings and smoking cessation counseling from US oral health care providers: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015-2016
Section snippets
Study design
In our study, we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) collected during 2015 and 2016. NHANES is a cross-sectional stratified multistage sampling study of noninstitutionalized US civilians across all life spans and is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. NHANES includes structured, self-reported, household, and person-level interviews, in addition to clinical examinations. The original survey
Receipt of OC examination
In our study, we showed that 25.85% of US adults 30 years or older who had ever visited an oral health care professional received an OC and OP examination. Results of the multivariable logistic regression revealed that current cigarette smokers (AOR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.74) had lower odds of receiving an OC examination than never cigarette smokers (Table 1). Similarly, non-Hispanic blacks (AOR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.59), Mexican Americans (AOR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.10 to 0.53), non-Hispanic
Discussion
Oral health care providers underscreen for OC and OP among high-risk groups, including current cigarette smokers, minorities, and participants of low socioeconomic status. Nearly 1 in 4 adults 30 years or older who had ever visited a dentist received an OC and OP screening. Similarly, 1 of 4 adults 16 years or older who visited a dentist within the past year received OC counseling, the highest proportion being those with an education level greater than high school. Among current cigarette
Conclusions
Approximately one-quarter of the US population received OC screenings by oral health care professionals. However, screening of current cigarette smokers and counseling patients to quit smoking remain relatively underaddressed. In addition, disparities among patients receiving OC screenings are present among race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education level. Increased awareness of OC and OP risk factors by oral health care professionals and intensified screening and counseling for OC
Dr. Nelson is a senior doctoral degree candidate, Division Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115.
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Cited by (0)
Dr. Nelson is a senior doctoral degree candidate, Division Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA 02115.
Dr. Kennedy was a master's degree candidate, Division Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, when the work described in this article was conducted. Dr. Kennedy is now is an associate dentist, Massachusetts State Employee Fund, Alliance Dental Center, Quincy, MA.
Dr. Aldosari is a doctoral candidate, Division Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, and a lecturer, Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Agaku is a lecturer and part-time faculty, Division Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, and was the deputy associate director of science, Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, when the work described in this article was conducted.
Dr. Vardavas is a lecturer and part-time faculty, Division Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, and affiliated with the School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
Disclosure. None of the authors reported any disclosures.