Health Literacy, Acculturation, and the Use of Preventive Oral Health Care by Somali Refugees Living in Massachusetts

• Published in: Journal of immigrant and minority health Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 622 - 630
• Main Authors: Geltman, Paul L., Adams, Jo Hunter, Penrose, Katherine L., Cochran, Jennifer, Rybin, Denis, Doros, Gheorghe, Henshaw, Michelle, Paasche-Orlow, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer Science + Business Media 01.08.2014; Springer US; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acculturation; Adult; Behavioral decision theory; Comparative Law; Cross-Sectional Studies; Decision making; Dental care; Dental Care - utilization; Dental health; Dentistry; Female; Gender; Health care; Health Conditions; Health education; Health Literacy; Health services; Health Services Accessibility - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Immigrants; International & Foreign Law; Interviews; Interviews as Topic; Language; Language proficiency; Language Skills; Male; Massachusetts; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Minority & ethnic groups; Noncitizens; Oral diseases; Oral hygiene; ORIGINAL PAPER; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Preventive health care; Preventive Health Services - utilization; Preventive medicine; Private International Law; Proficiency; Public Health; Refugees; Sociology; Somalia - ethnology; Statistical analysis; Somalia; Massachusetts; United States > US; Health literacy; Preventive dental care; Acculturation; Refugees

This study investigated the impact of English health literacy and spoken proficiency and acculturation on preventive dental care use among Somali refugees in Massachusetts. 439 adult Somalis in the US ≤ 10 years were interviewed. English functional health literacy, dental word recognition, and spoke...