Oral Health Status and Dental Service Utilization of Persons Who Identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer in Iowa City

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the annual dental utilization and the oral health status of people who identify as LGBTQ in Iowa City. 

The present study was cross-sectional, which allowed the measurement of the exposure and outcome of interest at the same time. Data collection was done online and by mailing questionnaires to the study population. The online survey was conducted by sending emails to the University of Iowa community, with a link to the survey instrument.

Seven hundred fifty-four participated in the online survey and 15 by postal survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS (Chicago, Illinois) and R data analysis software version 4.0.0. Nearly 61 percent of respondents (n=464) have lived in Iowa for more than 5 years. Close to sixty seven percent (n=449) of study participants had annual incomes greater than $25,000. Seventy-two percent (n=524) were reported as females at birth, while 28 %( n=204) were male at birth. Approximately, 27.9 % (n=206) of the study participants identified as bisexual, 25.3 %( n=188) were heterosexual, 7.1 %( n=53) were pansexual, 8.6 %( n=64) self-identified as queer 12 % (n=87) reported as gay and lesbian 12%(n=87).

Higher ratings of oral health status were significantly associated with higher income and higher level of education. Regarding sexual orientation, individuals who identified as gay, bisexual, lesbian, pansexual, and queer reported a higher rate of poor oral health status than individuals who identified as heterosexual. The following independent variable were significantly (p<0.05) associated with lower ratings of oral health status: lower income, being transgender, and inability to get dental care. Having a higher income, being white, and being heterosexual were all associated with a higher odds of having visited a dentist in the past year, while having Medicaid (compared to employer or private insurance) or wanting to see a dentist but not having the ability to do so, were associated with a lower odds of having a dental visit in the past year.