Title
Oral Health among Student Veterans: Effects on Mental and Physical Health
Department/School
Social Work
Date of this version
2020
Document Type
Article
Keywords
college, mental health, oral health, substance use, student veteran
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1540985
Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore differences in oral health among students by military service status in postsecondary settings. Participants: Secondary data were obtained from the American College Health Association’s 2011–2014 National College Health Assessment II. Method: Demographic characteristics of the study sample were explored by calculating frequencies and percentages by military service status. Research questions were explored with maximum likelihood multiple logistic regression. Results: Service member and veteran students are at greater risk for neglecting health behaviors associated with positive oral health, including that they were less likely to get dental exams and that those who deployed in the past were the least likely to be practicing good oral health. Conclusions: The results suggest that improving oral health will contribute to improving health and mental health outcomes in this population, and provide important information for health specialists working with service members and veterans on college campuses.
Volume
68
Issue
3
Published in
Journal of American College Health
Citation/Other Information
Albright, D. L., Godfrey, K., McDaniel, J. T., Fletcher, K. L., Thomas, K. H., Bertram, J., Cobb, D. I., & Stephens, T. M. (2020). Oral health among student veterans: Effects on mental and physical health. Journal of American College Health, 68(3), 263-270. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2018.1540985