IADR Abstract Archives
Do Socioeconomic Conditions Explain Ethnic Inequalities in Tooth Loss Among USA Adults
Objectives: To assess whether there are ethnic differences in tooth loss among adult Americans under 40 years and whether socioeconomic position attenuates these differences if they exist.
Methods: Data were from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System 2014, a health-related telephone cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S adults. Tooth loss (one tooth or more) was used as the outcome variable. Ethnicity was the main explanatory variable. Family income, education, and health insurance were also used in the analysis. Logistic regression models for tooth loss were constructed adjusting for demographic (age, gender, and ethnicity), socioeconomic indicators (income and education), health insurance, dental visits, smoking, and diabetes.
Results: A total of 76,273 participants were included in the analysis. The prevalence of tooth loss was highest among Blacks (33.7%). Hispanics and other ethnic groups had a higher prevalence of tooth loss than Whites, 29.1% (95%CI: 27.7-30.6), 22.0% (95%CI: 20.3-23.8), and 20.8% (95%CI: 20.2-21.4), respectively. Black American had odds ratios (OR) 1.98 (95%CI: 1.81-2.16) for tooth loss compared to Whites. After adjusting for socioeconomic positions (SEP) the relationship attenuated but remained significant with OR 1.71 (95%CI: 1.55-1.90).
Conclusions: Despite recent changes in the healthcare system in the USA, ethnic inequalities in tooth loss still exist. Income and education partially explained ethnic differences in tooth loss among Americans under 40 years.
Methods: Data were from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System 2014, a health-related telephone cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S adults. Tooth loss (one tooth or more) was used as the outcome variable. Ethnicity was the main explanatory variable. Family income, education, and health insurance were also used in the analysis. Logistic regression models for tooth loss were constructed adjusting for demographic (age, gender, and ethnicity), socioeconomic indicators (income and education), health insurance, dental visits, smoking, and diabetes.
Results: A total of 76,273 participants were included in the analysis. The prevalence of tooth loss was highest among Blacks (33.7%). Hispanics and other ethnic groups had a higher prevalence of tooth loss than Whites, 29.1% (95%CI: 27.7-30.6), 22.0% (95%CI: 20.3-23.8), and 20.8% (95%CI: 20.2-21.4), respectively. Black American had odds ratios (OR) 1.98 (95%CI: 1.81-2.16) for tooth loss compared to Whites. After adjusting for socioeconomic positions (SEP) the relationship attenuated but remained significant with OR 1.71 (95%CI: 1.55-1.90).
Conclusions: Despite recent changes in the healthcare system in the USA, ethnic inequalities in tooth loss still exist. Income and education partially explained ethnic differences in tooth loss among Americans under 40 years.