Quantifying dental inequality--developing the methodology.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a simple quantitative measure of dental health inequality.


METHODS
Define equality based on statistical theory and construct a formula to compare actual and theoretical disease distributions.


RESULTS
A new index (DHII) is proposed, based on the ratio of the distribution of the actual disease to a (theoretical) Poisson distribution. An example using caries data is provided.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of DHII will allow quantitative measurement of dental health inequality.
Nugent
Zoann Jane
ZJ
Dental Health Services Research Unit, Dental School, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK.
Longbottom
Christopher
C
Pitts
Nigel Berry
NB
D016010:Binomial Distribution; D004245:DMF Index; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011636:Public Health Dentistry / Q000379:methods*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors