[Socioeconomic inequalities in oral health: factors associated with tooth brushing frequency among Nicaraguan schoolchildren].
OBJECTIVE
To identify the association between tooth brushing frequency and variables of socioeconomic position in Nicaraguan schoolchildren.


METHODS
A cross sectional study was undertaken in 1353 schoolchildren ages 6 to 12 randomly selected from 25 elementary schools in Leon, Nicaragua. Using a questionnaire addressed to mothers, sociodemographic, socioeconomic and behavioral variables were collected. The dependent variable was tooth brushing frequency, which was dichotomized in 0 "at least one 7 times/week" and 1 "7 or more times/week". A multivariate analysis was carried out with logistic regression in STATA 9.


RESULTS
The average age of child participants was 8.99 +/- 2.00 years and 49.7% were women. In the final model, older age (OR = 2.04), female sex (OR = 1.39) and having a mother with positive attitudes toward oral health (OR = 2.5) were positively associated with the tooth brushing frequency (p < 0.05). Larger family size (OR = 0.89) and having low socioeconomic status (1st quartile; OR = 0.54, 2nd quartile; OR = 0.62, 3rd quartile; OR = 0.67) showed a negative relationship with the tooth brushing frequency. To have had at least one preventive dental visit in the previous year was positively associated (p < 0.10) with tooth brushing frequency.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggested that existence of indicators of socioeconomic inequalities exist even within less developed countries, and thus emphasize the need to target health promotion programs to vulnerable socioeconomic groups.
Herrera
Miriam del Socorro
Mdel S
Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, Campus León, Ló6n, Nicaragua.
Lucas-Rincón
Salvador Eduardo
SE
Medina-Solís
Carlo Eduardo
CE
Maupomé
Gerardo
G
Márquez-Corona
María de Lourdes
Mde L
Islas-Granillo
Horacio
H
Islas-Márquez
Arturo José
AJ
Atitlán-Gil
Alfonso
A
D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009527:Nicaragua; D009909:Oral Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*