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BMC Oral Health
Published in: BMC Oral Health 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Ethnic disparities in children’s oral health: findings from a population-based survey of grade 1 and 2 schoolchildren in Alberta, Canada

Authors: Congshi Shi, Peter Faris, Deborah A. McNeil, Steven Patterson, Melissa L. Potestio, Salima Thawer, Lindsay McLaren

Published in: BMC Oral Health | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Although oral health has improved remarkably in recent decades, not all populations have benefited equally. Ethnic identity, and in particular visible minority status, has been identified as an important risk factor for poor oral health. Canadian research on ethnic disparities in oral health is extremely limited. The aim of this study was to examine ethnic disparities in oral health outcomes and to assess the extent to which ethnic disparities could be accounted for by demographic, socioeconomic and caries-related behavioral factors, among a population-based sample of grade 1 and 2 schoolchildren (age range: 5-8 years) in Alberta, Canada.

Methods

A dental survey (administered during 2013-14) included a mouth examination and parent questionnaire. Oral health outcomes included: 1) percentage of children with dental caries; 2) number of decayed, extracted/missing (due to caries) and filled teeth; 3) percentage of children with two or more teeth with untreated caries; and 4) percentage of children with parental-ratings of fair or poor oral health. We used multivariable regression analysis to examine ethnic disparities in oral health, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and caries-related behavioral variables.

Results

We observed significant ethnic disparities in children’s oral health. Most visible minority groups, particularly Filipino and Arab, as well as Indigenous children, were more likely to have worse oral health than White populations. In particular, Filipino children had an almost 5-fold higher odds of having severe untreated dental problems (2 or more teeth with untreated caries) than White children. Adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and caries-related behavior variables attenuated but did not eliminate ethnic disparities in oral health, with the exception of Latin American children whose outcomes did not differ significantly from White populations after adjustment.

Conclusions

Significant ethnic disparities in oral health exist in Alberta, Canada, even when adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and caries-related behavioral factors, with Filipino, Arab, and Indigenous children being the most affected.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Footnotes
1
Although other previously published Canadian studies, including the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), used the term “Aboriginal”, we elected to use the term “Indigenous” because the Government of Canada is now using that term to identify peoples of First Nations, Inuit and Métis heritage (https://​www.​aadnc-aandc.​gc.​ca/​).
 
2
For example, participation rates by school system were 54.7% (Public) and 61.7% (Catholic) in Calgary; and 57.5% (Public) and 46.2% (Catholic) in Edmonton. School-level participation rates by income quartile were 69.1% (Q1), 67.3% (Q2), 49.1% (Q3), and 43.6% (Q4) in Calgary; and 53.7% (Q1), 47.3% (Q2), 63.6% (Q3), and 51.9% (Q4) in Edmonton. Student-level participation rates by income quartile, within participating schools, were: 44.6% (Q1), 47.7% (Q2), 50.3% (Q3), and 54.0% (Q4) in Calgary; and 36.0% (Q1), 43.2% (Q2), 51.0% (Q3), and 51.8% (Q4) in Edmonton.
 
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Metadata
Title
Ethnic disparities in children’s oral health: findings from a population-based survey of grade 1 and 2 schoolchildren in Alberta, Canada
Authors
Congshi Shi
Peter Faris
Deborah A. McNeil
Steven Patterson
Melissa L. Potestio
Salima Thawer
Lindsay McLaren
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Oral Health / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6831
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-017-0444-8

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