Alcohol Use, Predisposing, Enabling, and Oral Health Need Variables as Predictors of Preventive and Emergency Dental Service Use

Abstract

Analyses of the 2002 U.S. National Health and Examination Survey (1,490 adults) examined relationships between alcohol frequency, quantity, and total weekly consumption and preventive and emergency dental service use during the past 12 months. Logistic regression analyses indicated a significant, small percentage of variance in dental service use explained by alcohol use (1%), controlling for predisposing (19%), enabling (18%), or need (4%) covariates. Preventive and emergency service use were associated with higher frequency drinking, but lower total consumption (significant only for preventive services). Limitations and implications for brief alcohol interventions in dental practice are discussed.

RÉSUMÉ

L’Usage d’alcool, La Prédisposition, Les Variables «Culturelles» (Enabling) et Les Variables de Besoin de la Santé Orale comme Prédicateurs des Visites Dentaires Préventives et Urgentes

Les analyses de l’Etude de U.S. National Health and Examination de 2002 ont pris en considération les relations entre la Fréquence d’alcool, la Quantité, la Consommation Hebdomadaire Totale et les Visites Dentaires Préventives et Urgentes pendant les 12 mois précédents. Les analyses d’une régression logistique ont fait preuve d’un pourcentage de variance signifiant des visites dû à l’usage d’alcool (1%), codant pour la Prédisposition (19%), Les Variables «Culturelles» (Enabling) (18%) ou le Besoin (4%) des variables codées. Les Visites Préventives et Urgentes s’alignent à un taux élevé de la Fréquence d’alcool malgré un taux inférieur de la Consommation Totale (chiffre important seul pour les Visites Préventives). Les limitations et les implications de brèves interventions d’alcool dans la pratique dentaire sont discutées.

RESUMEN

Los variables del consumo del alcohol, predisposición, permisión, y necesidad de la salud oral como factores pronósticos del uso preventivo y urgente del servicio dental

Los datos de la encuesta US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. de 2002 (1.490 adultos) se examinan, determinando las relaciones entre la frecuencia, cantidad, y el consumo semanal del alcohol y la utilización de los servicios dentales preventivos y urgentes durante los últimos 12 meses. Los análisis de regresión logística indicaron un significativo, aunque pequeño porcentaje de variación en el uso del servicio dental explicado por el uso del alcohol (el 1%), controlando para los co-variables de Predisposing (el 19%), de Enabling (el 18%), o de Need (el 4%). El uso creciente de los servicios preventivos y urgentes fue asociado considerablemente a una frecuencia más alta de tomar, pero a un consumo total más bajo (importante solamente respecto a los servicios preventivos). Las limitaciones y las implicaciones para el análisis para alcohol y la intervención breve en las prácticas dentales se discuten.

Keywords :

• alcohol use
• dental service use
• alcohol screening
• brief intervention
• predisposing enabling need variables

THE AUTHORS

James Alan Neff, Ph.D., MPH, is currently Professor of Community Health in the College of Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. He is a social–behavioral scientist with research interests including research methodology, health disparities, alcohol/substance use, and substance abuse prevention and treatment approaches

Carleen Lynch, RDH, MS, MPH, is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Dental Hygiene at Old Dominion University. Her teaching interests include Community Dentistry and she has worked extensively in both private dental hygiene practice and community level practice. Her focus of research has been Maternal/Child Oral Health and Oral Manifestations of Substance Abuse.

Joyce Downs, RDH, MS, is currently a Ph.D. student in Health Services Research and Research Assistant for the Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center at Old Dominion University. Her research interests are based on over 13 years of clinical practice and include oral cancer prevention, pharmacokinetics of bisphenol A, dental sealants, and predictors of oral health status.