Inequalities in Indigenous Oral Health: Findings from Australia, New Zealand, and Canada 2016

L M Jamieson, and H W Elani, and G C Mejia, and X Ju, and I Kawachi, and S Harper, and W M Thomson, and J S Kaufman
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, School of Dentistry, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.

The objective was to compare absolute differences in the prevalence of Indigenous-related inequalities in dental disease experience and self-rated oral health in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Data were sourced from national oral health surveys in Australia (2004 to 2006), Canada (2007 to 2009), and New Zealand (2009). Participants were aged ≥18 y. The authors measured age- and sex-adjusted inequalities by estimating absolute prevalence differences and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Clinical measures included the prevalence of untreated decayed teeth, missing teeth, and filled teeth; self-reported measures included the prevalence of "fair" or "poor" self-rated oral health. The overall pattern of Indigenous disadvantage was similar across all countries. The summary estimates for the adjusted prevalence differences were as follows: 16.5 (95% CI: 11.1 to 21.9) for decayed teeth (all countries combined), 18.2 (95% CI: 12.5 to 24.0) for missing teeth, 0.8 (95% CI: -1.9 to 3.5) for filled teeth, and 17.5 (95% CI: 11.3 to 23.6) for fair/poor self-rated oral health. The I2 estimates were small for each outcome: 0.0% for decayed, missing, and filled teeth and 11.6% for fair/poor self-rated oral health. Irrespective of country, when compared with their non-Indigenous counterparts, Indigenous persons had more untreated dental caries and missing teeth, fewer teeth that had been restored (with the exception of Canada), and a higher proportion reporting fair/poor self-rated oral health. There were no discernible differences among the 3 countries.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D009520 New Zealand A group of islands in the southwest Pacific. Its capital is Wellington. It was discovered by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and circumnavigated by Cook in 1769. Colonized in 1840 by the New Zealand Company, it became a British crown colony in 1840 until 1907 when colonial status was terminated. New Zealand is a partly anglicized form of the original Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, new sea land, possibly with reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p842 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p378)
D009909 Oral Health The optimal state of the mouth and normal functioning of the organs of the mouth without evidence of disease. Health, Oral
D002170 Canada The largest country in North America, comprising 10 provinces and three territories. Its capital is Ottawa.
D003753 Dental Health Surveys A systematic collection of factual data pertaining to dental or oral health and disease in a human population within a given geographic area. Dental Health Survey,Health Survey, Dental,Health Surveys, Dental,Survey, Dental Health,Surveys, Dental Health
D004245 DMF Index "Decayed, missing and filled teeth," a routinely used statistical concept in dentistry. Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth,DMF Indexes,DMF Indexe,DMF Indices,Index, DMF,Indexe, DMF,Indexes, DMF,Indices, DMF
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly

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