Adult oral health inequalities described using area-based and household-based socioeconomic status measures.
OBJECTIVE
To describe adult oral health inequalities using an area-based and household-based measure of socioeconomic status (SES).


METHODS
Self-report questionnaires (seeking information on sociodemographic, oral health and oral self-care) were sent to a random sample of adults from the Dunedin South Electorate, New Zealand. Household- and area-based SES measures were collected. The main outcome measures were edentulism prevalence, average-poor self-rated oral health and not having visited a dentist for 2+ years. Data were weighted to produce population-based estimates.


RESULTS
The response rate was 78.2%; the sample mean age was 47 years (sd, 17; range 18-92 years) and females comprised 54.0%. Edentulism was most prevalent among those from low-SES households who were resident in high-deprivation areas (P<0.0001). Poor self-rated oral health (P<0.0001) and 2+ years since the last dental visit (P<0.0001) were also most prevalent among these same individuals. In contrast, respondents from high-SES households located in the least deprived areas had the lowest prevalence of edentulism, poor self-reported oral health or 2+ years since their last dental visit. Those from the other household/area SES combinations occupied intermediate positions.


CONCLUSIONS
There may be added value to dental public health in using a dual socio-economic measurement approach to population research, with greater oral health gains perhaps being possible by concentrating resources and clinical effort on people living in low-SES households in highly-deprived areas, rather than those living in low-SES households in areas that are not deprived.
Jamieson
Lisa M
LM
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, University of Adelaide, South Australia. lisa.jamieson@adelaide.edu.au
Thomson
W Murray
WM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009909:Oral Health; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors