Social factors and periodontitis in an older population.
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.
Borrell
Luisa N
LN
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. lnb2@columbia.edu
Burt
Brian A
BA
Neighbors
Harold W
HW
Taylor
George W
GW