Oral cancer screening prevalence in low-income adults before and after the ACA
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Background: Detecting oral cancer early is associated with higher probability of survival, reduced treatment costs, and improved quality of life. Unfortunately, <30% of oral cancers are detected early. Recent health insurance expansions from the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could improve outcomes by increasing access to screening. However, due to the differences in screening practices by physicians and dentists, the impact of expanded access to insurance on oral cancer screenings remains unknown. Methods: Self-reported oral cancer screening data were obtained from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for years 2011–2017. NHANES questionnaires ask respondents if they have received an oral cancer screen from a physician or dentist in the past year. Along with adjusting for demographic characteristics, this study accounts for unobserved heterogeneity by comparing “Differences-in-Differences” estimates of low-income adults (<200 % FPL) with high-income adults, before and after the ACA (2014), for adults most exposed (
DOI
10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.106055
Publication Date
11-1-2022
Recommended Citation
Semprini, Jason, "Oral cancer screening prevalence in low-income adults before and after the ACA" (2022). Public Health. 21.
https://digitalcommons.dmu.edu/fac_ph/21
