title: Determinants of Socioeconomic Inequalities in Traumatic Dental Injuries among Urban Indian Adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess socioeconomic inequalities in traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) in adolescents in New Delhi and examine the role of material, psychosocial and behavioural factors in explaining these inequalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross sectional study of 1386 adolescents aged between 12-15 years residing in three diverse areas of New Delhi. A non-invasive clinical examination was used to estimate the prevalence of TDIs, and an interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to gather relevant behavioural and socio-demographic data. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the association between area based socioeconomic position and TDIs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of TDIs was 10.9%. Social inequalities in the prevalence of TDIs were observed across the adolescent population according to their area of residence. Socio-economic group differences in the prevalence of TDIs remained statistically significant after adjusting for demographic factors, material resources, social capital, social support and health affecting behaviours (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.75-6.46 and OR 3.99, 95% CI 1.86-8.56 for adolescents from resettlement areas and urban slums respectively in comparison to middle class adolescents). Different psychosocial, material and socio-demographic variables did not attenuate the estimates for the relationship between area socioeconomic position and TDIs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Area of residence was a strong predictor of TDIs in adolescents with a higher prevalence in more deprived areas. Social inequalities in TDIs were not explained by psychosocial and behavioural variables. Health promoting policies aimed at improving the physical environment in which adolescents reside might be instrumental in reducing the prevalence of TDIs and associated inequalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Public Health, Public Health Foundation of India, Gurgaon, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Manu Raj
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mathur
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Watt
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Millett
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Public Health, Public Health Foundation of India, Gurgaon, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parmar
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsakos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001519:Behavior; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011057:Politics; D011204:Poverty Areas; D012923:Social Class; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*