This study found that lower levels of acculturation, particularly less frequent use of English, were associated with greater oral pain and depression for Hispanics adults. This emphasizes the need to provide Hispanic patients with information in Spanish and the importance of having bilingual materials and staff in dental clinics.

AIM: The aim of this study was to test the influence of acculturation and socioeconomic status on orofacial pain selfcare across race/ethnicity stratified by sex among South Florida residents, using a sample of residents of Miami-Dade and Broward counties in Florida. METHODOLOGY:This study reports data on respondents who self-endorsed their race and ethnicity as Hispanic, non-Hispanic White, or non-Hispanic Black and reported tooth pain (n=1,767) or jaw joint/face pain (n=1,199). Acculturation was associated with self-care use for pain among Whites and Hispanics. Socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with several self-care behaviors and was most predictive among White women. Acculturation towards other ethnic groups led to differential self-care use dependent on the type of self-care, pain condition, and ethnicity. RESULTS: Black and Hispanic women were greater users of self-care for orofacial pain than other sex/ethnicities. CONCLUSION:The associations between SES and self-care were stronger in White women than in Black and Hispanic women.

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