Advancing Oral Health and Oral Health–Related Quality of Life Measures Across Diverse Populations

Chair(s)

• 

  Bei Wu, PhD, FGSA, FAAN (she/her/hers)

  Dean's Professor in Global Health
  Rory Meyers College of Nursing
  New York University
  New York, New York, United States

Discussant(s)

• 

  Stephen Shuman, DDS, MS, FGSA (he/him/his)

  Professor
  Developmental & Surgical Sciences
  University of Minnesota
  Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

• HL

  Huabin Luo, Phd

  Associate Professor
  Department of Public Heatlh
  East Carolina University
  Greenville, North Carolina, United States
• 

  Weiyu Mao, PhD

  Associate Professor
  School of Social Work
  University of Nevada, Reno
  Reno, Nevada, United States
• 

  Nan Jiang, PhD MSW

  Associate Professor
  School of Medicine
  Tsinghua University
  Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)
• ZZ

  Zheng Zhu, PhD, RN

  PostDoc
  NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
  New York University
  New York City, New York, United States

This symposium demonstrates the intricate interplay between social and behavioral factors and their impact on the oral health status of older immigrant populations in the United States. It also examines the efficacy of self-reported oral health measures within diverse populations. Understanding these dynamics and valid measures to be used in these populations is crucial for developing targeted interventions and policies to address oral health disparities within these communities. The first study scrutinizes oral health trends among older adults based on their immigration status in the United States, leveraging data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey. Findings reveal an overall decline in self-reported fair/poor oral health from 1999 to 2018, yet significant oral health disparities persist, notably among non-US citizens. The second study investigates the correlation between caregiving circumstances, care recipient characteristics, and oral hygiene assistance among dementia caregivers within Chinese American communities. Insights stem from a pilot study conducted in New York City. The third study delves into the relationship between support from adult children and perceived oral health among both foreign-born and U.S.-born Chinese Americans. This study provides evidence for resilience pathways that connect social support from children to older immigrants’ oral health. Lastly, based on a systematic review, the fourth study unpacks the construct of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) within existing measures for adults, assessing their psychometric properties. Six distinct subdomains emerge, including pain/discomfort, oral diseases and disorders, functional limitations, oral hygiene, oral hygiene behavior, and psychosocial impact.

Presentations:

• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST

  Trends of Oral Health Status of Older Adults by Immigration Status in the United States: 1999–2018
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Huabin Luo, Phd – East Carolina University
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST

  Family Dementia Caregivers' Assistance With Oral Hygiene Care in Chinese American Communities in NYC
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Weiyu Mao, PhD – University of Nevada, Reno
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST

  Resilience and Perceived Oral Health Among Older Chinese American Immigrants: The Role of Social Support
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Nan Jiang, PhD MSW – Tsinghua University
• 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST

  Measuring Oral Health-Related Quality-of-Life Measures in Adults: Directions for Future Applications
  

  Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Zheng Zhu, PhD, RN – New York University