OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the percent of California's third grade public school children lacking sealants by child and family factors and to measure social disparities for lacking sealants. METHODS: The study analyzed data from the California Oral Health Needs Assessment (COHNA) 2004-2005, a complex stratified cluster sample of children (n = 10,450) from 182 randomly selected public elementary schools in California. The dependent variable was absence of sealants in first permanent molars. The independent variables included child race/ethnicity; socio-economic position (SEP) measured as child's participation in the free or reduced-price lunch program at the individual and school level; acculturation measured as language spoken at home and school level percent of English language learners; and parent functional health literacy measured as correctly following questionnaire instructions. Absolute differences and health disparity indices (i.e. Slope Index of Inequality, Relative Index of Inequality-mean, Absolute Concentration Index) were used to measure absolute and relative disparities. RESULTS: The percent of children lacking sealants was high in all racial/ethnic groups; no child or school level SEP differences in lacking sealants were seen, but significant differences existed by acculturation (child and school level) and parental functional health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: NonEnglish language and poor parental functional health literacy are potential barriers that need to be addressed to overcome disparities in sealant utilization.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the percent of California's third grade public school children lacking sealants by child and family factors and to measure social disparities for lacking sealants. METHODS: The study analyzed data from the California Oral Health Needs Assessment (COHNA) 2004-2005, a complex stratified cluster sample of children (n = 10,450) from 182 randomly selected public elementary schools in California. The dependent variable was absence of sealants in first permanent molars. The independent variables included child race/ethnicity; socio-economic position (SEP) measured as child's participation in the free or reduced-price lunch program at the individual and school level; acculturation measured as language spoken at home and school level percent of English language learners; and parent functional health literacy measured as correctly following questionnaire instructions. Absolute differences and health disparity indices (i.e. Slope Index of Inequality, Relative Index of Inequality-mean, Absolute Concentration Index) were used to measure absolute and relative disparities. RESULTS: The percent of children lacking sealants was high in all racial/ethnic groups; no child or school level SEP differences in lacking sealants were seen, but significant differences existed by acculturation (child and school level) and parental functional health literacy. CONCLUSIONS: NonEnglish language and poor parental functional health literacy are potential barriers that need to be addressed to overcome disparities in sealant utilization.
Authors: Kenneth Keppel; Elsie Pamuk; John Lynch; Olivia Carter-Pokras; Vickie Mays; Jeffrey Pearcy; Victor Schoenbach; Joel S Weissman Journal: Vital Health Stat 2 Date: 2005-07
Authors: Caroline H Shiboski; Stuart A Gansky; Francisco Ramos-Gomez; Long Ngo; Robert Isman; Howard F Pollick Journal: J Public Health Dent Date: 2003 Impact factor: 1.821
Authors: Dean Schillinger; John Piette; Kevin Grumbach; Frances Wang; Clifford Wilson; Carolyn Daher; Krishelle Leong-Grotz; Cesar Castro; Andrew B Bindman Journal: Arch Intern Med Date: 2003-01-13
Authors: Susan Griffin; Shillpa Naavaal; Christina Scherrer; Paul M Griffin; Kate Harris; Sajal Chattopadhyay Journal: Health Aff (Millwood) Date: 2016-12-01 Impact factor: 6.301
Authors: Angela G Brega; Luohua Jiang; Rachel L Johnson; Anne R Wilson; Sarah J Schmiege; Judith Albino Journal: J Racial Ethn Health Disparities Date: 2020-05-08
Authors: A G Brega; J F Thomas; W G Henderson; T S Batliner; D O Quissell; P A Braun; A Wilson; L L Bryant; K J Nadeau; J Albino Journal: Health Educ Res Date: 2015-11-26