Time until first dental caries for young children first seen in Federally Qualified Health Centers: a retrospective cohort study

Barriers to dental utilization among Medicaid-enrolled young children from primary care practices in Northeast Ohio

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the individual and community factors that contribute to dental utilization among young children on Medicaid utilizing the Anderson Model and the Socio-Ecological Framework.

METHODS

This observational cross-sectional study was conducted using baseline data (socio-demographics, clinical dental need) from a cluster-randomized hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial among 1021 child-parent dyads recruited from primary care practices across northeast Ohio. The baseline data were then linked to dental Medicaid claims data (categorized as any dental visit, volume, and type in the past 12 months) and ICD-10 codes from the child's EHR data (individual-level) together with Dental Health Provider Shortage Area (HPSA) status and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) which were obtained at the neighbourhood-level using home address of each dyad (community-level). Multivariable analyses using generalized estimating equations (GEE) accounted for clustering by practice, and models included individual-level alone, and individual + community-level factors to evaluate their effects on dental utilization.

RESULTS

Medicaid claims data indicated that among the 1021 children (mean age: 4.3 ± 1.1 years; 54.4% males; 43.8% Black, Non-Hispanic), a majority of children were seeing the dentist at least once a year by the age of 4 (56.1%). The mean ADI of their neighbourhoods was 109.22 (20.2) and 27.5% lived in a HPSA area. The GEE analyses revealed that individual factors such as older children, parents being married, and continuous Medicaid enrollment were associated with significantly higher dental utilization. Among community factors, being in a HPSA had an OR = 1.53 (CI: 1.03, 2.27) associated with higher dental utilization.

CONCLUSIONS

Being in a HPSA was associated with higher dental utilization possibly due to dentists or safety net dental clinics in these areas accepting Medicaid-eligible children.

Outcomes from birth to 6 months of publicly insured infants born to mothers with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in the United States

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated inpatient management, transition to home, breastfeeding, growth, and clinical outcomes of infants born to mothers diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy and followed in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), that serves a diverse and low-income patient population, from birth through 6 months of life.

METHODS

Infants born between 4/3/20 and 7/26/20 at Prentice Women's Hospital with mothers who received prenatal care at Erie Family Health Center (Erie), the second largest FQHC in Illinois, and had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy were included. Data were abstracted from delivery hospital admission and outpatient follow-up appointments between 4/8/20 and 2/4/21.

RESULTS

Thirty-three infants met inclusion criteria. Average gestational age was 38.9 weeks (IQR 37.6-40.4), 3 (10%) were premature and 5 (15%) required NICU admission. Nearly all (97%) mothers expressed intent to breastfeed. Outpatient follow-up rates were similar to historical cohorts and 82% (23/28) of infants were vaccination compliant. Growth parameters showed normal distributions at all time points. At 6 months, any and exclusive breast milk feeding rates were lower compared to historic cohorts (18 vs. 36%, p<0.05, 0 vs. 21%, p<0.01). Three infants (10%) received development-related referrals, one carried an underlying genetic diagnosis. Outpatient visits were predominantly face-to-face with telemedicine use comprising only 6% of visits (11/182).

CONCLUSIONS

Longitudinal follow-up of 33 publicly insured infants born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy followed in an FQHC showed high rates of follow-up and vaccination compliance, normal growth patterns and reassuring clinical status, and lower than expected rates of breastfeeding.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities among Pediatric Patients at Community Health Centers

OBJECTIVES

To assess racial/ethnic disparities in pediatric utilization of community health centers (CHCs) among a nationally representative sample.

STUDY DESIGN

Using the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey, a nationally representative sample of CHC patients, demographic characteristics, health conditions, and service utilization were examined for patients under 18 years old (n = 590). Negative binomial and logistic regression models assessed disparities in access to routine care, ambulatory service intensity, and hospital utilization.

RESULTS

Racial/ethnic disparities were not present for well-child visits or dental checkups. However, disparities in ambulatory care service intensity and hospital use were observed. Compared with white children, Hispanic children had fewer CHC visits (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.62; 95% CI 0.41-0.95), and fewer visits to other ambulatory providers (IRR 0.30; 95% CI 0.15-0.61). Black children had fewer CHC visits (IRR 0.46; 95% CI 0.31-0.70) and fewer visits to other ambulatory providers (IRR 0.23; 95% CI 0.06-0.91), and were also less likely to have been hospitalized (OR 0.04; 95% CI 0.01-0.26).

CONCLUSIONS

Study limitations included the cross-sectional study design, the self-reported data, and the age of the data. Nevertheless, this study demonstrates that there are fewer disparities among children who visit CHCs in comparison with national trends, but there is still room for improvement. Future initiatives should address remaining challenges in ensuring access to care for all children in underserved communities.