Access to oral health care and its social determinants across the lifespan in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Disparities in healthcare access, driven by socioeconomic status and social determinants of health (SDOH), contribute to poor health outcomes. While prior studies established the relationship between SDOH and care access, fewer have explored their joint relationships with social satisfaction and health challenges across the lifespan. Rather than assessing direct associations between dental care utilization and physical or mental difficulties, this study examines broader interrelationships among SDOH, access to oral health care, and self-reported health challenges.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using a lifespan approach-by examining participants within discrete age groups-was conducted on 127,886 individuals aged 18 years and older who participated in the All

SUBMITTER: Yu YH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12460411 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature