title: Caries prevalence and determinants among 12-year-olds in North-West Russia and Northern Norway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess oral health and oral health associated factors in 12-year-olds and to establish determinants explaining variation in oral health among children representing two areas in the Barents region - Arkhangelsk in North-West Russia and Tromsø in Northern Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  The samples consisted of Russian (N=590) and Norwegian (N=264) 12-year-olds and their parents selected according to stratified one-stage cluster design. The study included clinical examination (children) and self-reports (children and parents). The child's oral health was recorded under field conditions. Statistical analyses were conducted on pooled samples of subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean DMFT/S-scores were 3.0/4.4 for the Russian and 1.2/1.5 for the Norwegian children (p<0.001). In multiple logistic regressions, country of origin (OR=3.8) and filling obtained during last dental visit (OR=5.0) were showing the strongest association with child's dental caries (χ(2)=87; p<0.001). Among parent's variables showing the strongest association with child's dental caries were country of origin (OR=2.4) and oral health problems during the past two years (OR=1.8) (χ(2)=60; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dental caries prevalence was higher among the Russian than the Norwegian children. The overall regression models were significant for both the child and parental variables. The results indicate different impact on child's oral health from children and parental determinants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, 9037, Tromsø, Norway. natalia.koposova@uit.no
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koposova
authors.forename: Harald M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Eriksen
authors.forename: Eeva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Widström
authors.forename: Bjørn Helge
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Handegård
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pastbin
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koposov
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D015995:Prevalence; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D057566:Self Report