September 2014

Volume 31, Issue 3

Access, literacy and behavioural correlates of poor self-rated oral health amongst an Indigenous South Australian population

Authors: K. Jones E.J. Parker L.M. Jamieson
doi: 10.1922/CDH_3316Jones05

Abstract

Objective: To better understand the determinants of self-rated oral health within an Indigenous population by: 1, examining potential individual-level correlates of socio-demographic, health behaviours, dental care access and oral health literacy-related outcomes with self-rated oral health; and, 2, examining the relative contribution of these domains to self-rated oral health in multivariable modelling. Methods: We conducted nested logistic regression analyses on self-reported status of ‘fair or poor’ versus ‘better’ oral health using data from a convenience sample of rural dwelling Indigenous Australians (n=468). Data were collected on background characteristics, health behaviours, access to dental care, oral health literacy-related outcome variables and REALD 30, an oral health literacy scale. Results: Overall 37.0 % of the Indigenous adult population reported fair or poor oral health. In multivariable modelling, risk indicators for fair or poor self-rated oral health that persisted after adjusting for other covariates included being aged 38+ years (OR 2.9, 95%CI 1.9,4.6), holding a Government Health Concession card (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.1,4.5), avoiding the dentist due to financial constraints (OR 2.3, 95%CI 1.4,3.6), not knowing how to make an emergency dental visit (OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.1,2.7) and poor understanding of the prevention of dental disease (OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.1,2.7). Conclusions: In this vulnerable population, risk indicators contributing to poor self-rated oral health included socio-demographic, dental care access and oral health literacy-related factors. Health behaviours were not significant. Key words: indigenous, self-rated oral health, risk indicator, rural, Australian, REALD

Download

Other articles in this issue

Article Pages Access
Editorial - Celebrating 50 years of water fluoridation in Birmingham – a time for decision-makers to tackle high tooth decay rates elsewhere 130-131 Download
Dental Public Health in Action - Training dental nurses with additional skills in oral health education and application of fluoride varnish: activity impact and challenges 132-135 Download
Frequency of daily tooth brushing: predictors of change in 9- to 11-year old US children 136-140 Download
Caries experience and treatment needs among Albanian 12-year-olds 141-144 Download
Experience of racism and tooth brushing among pregnant Aboriginal Australians: exploring psychosocial mediators 145-152 Download
Dietary intake of calcium, vitamins A and E and bleeding on probing in Sri Lankan preschoolers 153-157 Download
Type II diabetes and oral health: perceptions among adults with diabetes and oral/health care providers in Ghana 158-162 Download
Dental caries among children in Georgia by age, gender, residence location and ethnic group 163-166 Download
Access, literacy and behavioural correlates of poor self-rated oral health amongst an Indigenous South Australian population 167-171 Download
Effect of second mailing for consent on child dental survey results 172-175 Download
Evaluation of a capacity building clinical educational model for oral health clinicians treating very young children 176-182 Download
The significance of motivation in periodontal treatment: The influence of adult patients’ motivation on the clinical periodontal status 183-187 Download
Evaluation of internet search trends of some common oral problems, 2004 to 2014 188-192 Download

Subscribe

Online (Single user only)
£150
Institution Online (IP address validation)
£250

Back issues may be obtained from the publisher

Consider recommending subscription to your institution's library

You can view Open Access papers without a subscription.