title: Social factors and periodontitis in an older population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the prevalences of periodontitis by education and income levels among US adults with data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was limited to non-Hispanic Blacks, Mexican Americans, and non-Hispanic Whites 50 years of age or older with a complete periodontal assessment during the dental examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blacks with higher education and income levels had a significantly higher prevalence of periodontitis than their White and Mexican-American counterparts. The relationship between income level and periodontitis was modified by race/ethnicity. High-income Blacks exhibited a higher prevalence of periodontitis than did low-income Blacks and high-income Whites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings call attention to the importance of recognizing socioeconomic status-related health differences across racial/ethnic groups within the social, political, and historical context.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA. lnb2@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Luisa N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Borrell
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Burt
authors.forename: Harold W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Neighbors
authors.forename: George W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data