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BMC Oral Health
Published in: BMC Oral Health 1/2020

Open Access 01-12-2020 | Research article

Socioeconomic-related inequalities in oral hygiene behaviors: a cross-sectional analysis of the PERSIAN cohort study

Authors: Moslem Soofi, Yahya Pasdar, Behzad Karami Matin, Behrooz Hamzeh, Satar Rezaei, Ali Kazemi Karyani, Mehdi Moradi Nazar, Shahin Soltani, Mohammad Hajizadeh, Yahya Salimi, Alireza Zangeneh, Hossein Poustchi, Maryam Sharafkhah, Ali Akbar Haghdoust, Mahboobeh Shirzad Ahoodashti, Vahid Mohammadkarimi, Javad Aghazadeh-Attari, Fariborz Mansour-Ghanaei, Abbas Yazdanbod, Ebrahim Eftekhar, Zahra Rahimi, Ehsan Bahramali, Alireza Moslem, Ahmad Jamalizadeh, Fatemeh Ezoddini Ardakani, Mehdi Zanganeh, Ali Ahmadi, Alireza Ostadrahimi, Fariba Tohidinezhad, Salar Rahimi Kazerooni, Farid Najafi

Published in: BMC Oral Health | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

Socioeconomic-related inequality in oral hygiene behaviors in Iran is poorly understood. This study aims to measure and decompose socioeconomic-related inequalities in oral hygiene behaviors among middle-aged and elderly adults in Iran.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN), a large national cohort study. A total of 130,016 individuals aged 35 years and above from 17 cohort centers in Iran were included in the study. The normalized concentration index (Cn) was used to measure the magnitude of inequality in oral hygiene behaviors, i.e. brushing at least twice and flossing once daily, among middle-aged and elderly Iranian adults included in the cohort centers. Decomposition analysis was performed to quantify the contribution of each determinant to the observed inequality in oral hygiene behaviors.

Results

Totally, 65.5% of middle-aged and elderly adults brushed their teeth twice a day or more, 7.6% flossed at least once a day and 3.48% had both habits. The estimated Cn of the two habits combined, i.e. tooth brushing and dental flossing, for all provinces taken part in the PERSIAN cohort study was 0.399 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.383 to 0.417), indicating that the prevalence of the two habits combined is more concentrated among individuals with higher socioeconomic status. Inequality in oral hygiene behaviors was pro-rich in all cohort centers. The decomposition results suggested socioeconomic status as the main factor contributing to the overall inequality, followed by the level of education, and the province of residence.

Conclusion

A low prevalence of oral hygiene behaviors among middle-aged and elderly Iranian adults was observed. There was also a pro-rich inequality in oral hygiene behaviors among middle-aged and elderly adults in all cohort centers. These results suggest an urgent need for targeted policy interventions to increase the prevalence of preventive oral hygiene behaviors among the poor and less-educated middle-aged and elderly adults in Iran.
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Metadata
Title
Socioeconomic-related inequalities in oral hygiene behaviors: a cross-sectional analysis of the PERSIAN cohort study
Authors
Moslem Soofi
Yahya Pasdar
Behzad Karami Matin
Behrooz Hamzeh
Satar Rezaei
Ali Kazemi Karyani
Mehdi Moradi Nazar
Shahin Soltani
Mohammad Hajizadeh
Yahya Salimi
Alireza Zangeneh
Hossein Poustchi
Maryam Sharafkhah
Ali Akbar Haghdoust
Mahboobeh Shirzad Ahoodashti
Vahid Mohammadkarimi
Javad Aghazadeh-Attari
Fariborz Mansour-Ghanaei
Abbas Yazdanbod
Ebrahim Eftekhar
Zahra Rahimi
Ehsan Bahramali
Alireza Moslem
Ahmad Jamalizadeh
Fatemeh Ezoddini Ardakani
Mehdi Zanganeh
Ali Ahmadi
Alireza Ostadrahimi
Fariba Tohidinezhad
Salar Rahimi Kazerooni
Farid Najafi
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Oral Health / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6831
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-020-1036-6

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