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Indigenous child oral health at a regional and state level
Author(s) -
Jamieson Lisa M,
Parker Eleanor J,
Armfield Jason M
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2007.01029.x
Subject(s) - indigenous , medicine , disadvantaged , oral health , population , demography , epidemiology , environmental health , dentistry , ecology , sociology , political science , law , biology
Aim: To compare the dental disease experience of Indigenous and non‐Indigenous children in South Australia’s mid‐north region (regional area) and to assess Indigenous oral health differences at a regional‐ and state‐level. Methods: Data were collected from a School Dental Service based in an Aboriginal‐owned medical health service and standard school dental clinics in the regional area from March 2001 to March 2006. State‐level data were obtained over a 12‐month period in 2003. Caries prevalence (per cent dmft or DMFT >0) and severity (mean dmft or DMFT, SiC and SiC 10 ) measures were used to assess dental disease experience. Results: In the regional area, Indigenous children aged <10 years had 1.6, 1.9, 1.6 and 1.4 times the percent dmft >0, mean dmft, SiC primary and SiC 10 primary, respectively, of their non‐Indigenous counterparts, while Indigenous children aged 6+ years had 1.3, 1.7, 1.7 and 1.6 times the percent DMFT > 0, mean DMFT, SiC permanent and SiC 10 permanent, respectively, of non‐Indigenous children. Indigenous children in the regional area had significantly higher caries prevalence and severity than Indigenous children at a state‐level. Conclusion: Indigenous children in South Australia’s mid‐north region are dentally disadvantaged in comparison with their non‐Indigenous counterparts and with the general South Australian Indigenous child population.