Psychological Sense of Community and Oral Health Problems among Older Chinese Americans: Family Reunification Matters

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between acculturation and subsequent oral health problems in older Chinese Americans and to further test the moderating role of neighborhood disorder in such a relationship. Methods: The working sample included 2,706 foreign-born community-dwelling older Chinese Americans aged 60 years or older who participated in the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago at baseline between 2011 and 2013 and the 2-year follow-up between 2013 and 2015. Stepwise Poisson regressions with lagged dependent variable were conducted. Results: Behavioral acculturation was protective against subsequent oral health problems, and the protective role was stronger among individuals reporting lower levels of neighborhood disorder. Residence in Chinatown was associated with an increase in the risk of subsequent oral health problems. Discussion: To reduce oral health symptoms and related burdens, it is important to consider, in practice and policy, the role of acculturation and the neighborhood on subsequent oral health outcomes.

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Acculturation and Subsequent Oral Health Problems Among Older Chinese Americans: The Role of Neighborhood Disorder

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.2901 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 800-800

Author(s):

Weiyu Mao ◽

Bei Wu ◽

Iris Chi ◽

Wei Yang ◽

XinQi Dong

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Chinese Americans ◽

Health Problems ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Neighborhood Disorder ◽

Lagged Dependent Variable ◽

Older Chinese ◽

The Relationship ◽

Older Chinese Americans

Abstract To further understand social, cultural, and personal predictors of oral health outcomes, this study addressed the relationship between acculturation and subsequent oral health problems and tested the moderating role of neighborhood disorder in such a relationship among older Chinese Americans. The working sample included 2,706 foreign-born community-dwelling older Chinese Americans aged 60 years or older who participated in the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago at the baseline and the first follow-up. Stepwise Poisson regression using lagged dependent variable was conducted. Behavioral acculturation was protective against subsequent oral health problems. Residence in Chinatown was associated with an increase in the risk of subsequent oral health problems. The relationship between behavioral acculturation and subsequent oral health problems varied by levels of neighborhood disorder. To reduce oral health-related disease burdens, it is important to consider the role of acculturation and the neighborhood on subsequent oral health problems in practice and policy. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Oral Health Interest Group.

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Acceptability of a community health worker intervention to improve the oral health of older Chinese Americans: A pilot study

Gerodontology ◽

10.1111/ger.12522 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mary E. Northridge ◽

Yinxiang Wu ◽

Andrea B. Troxel ◽

Deborah Min ◽

Rong Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Community Health ◽

Health Worker ◽

Community Health Worker ◽

Chinese Americans ◽

Older Chinese ◽

Older Chinese Americans

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SOCIAL COHESION AND ORAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG U.S. OLDER CHINESE ADULTS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1268 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S350-S350

Author(s):

Weiyu Mao ◽

Bei Wu ◽

Iris Chi ◽

Wei Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Social Cohesion ◽

Sense Of Community ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Negative Binomial Regression ◽

Health Problems ◽

Chinese Adults ◽

Neighborhood Cohesion ◽

Older Chinese ◽

Older Chinese Adults

Abstract This study examined the relationship between social cohesion (i.e., sense of community and neighborhood cohesion) and self-reported number of oral health problems and further investigated the potential moderating role of cognitive function in such a relationship among U.S. older Chinese adults. Data came from baseline of the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago between 2011 and 2013 (N = 3,157). Stepwise negative binomial regression models with interaction terms were used. Individuals with a stronger sense of community had 1% less risk of having oral health problems (RR = .99; 95% CI = .98, .99; p < .001). Individuals experiencing a stronger neighborhood cohesion had a 11% reduction in risk of having oral health problems (RR = .89; 95% CI = .86, .92; p < .001). To promote optimal oral health, interventions need to account for individuals’ perception and actual integration with their neighborhood and communities.

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