Socioeconomic Inequalities in Oral Health Among Brazilian Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Bof de Andrade Fabíola, Antunes José Leopoldo Ferreira
Primary Institution: Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rene Rachou Institute, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Hypothesis
This study aimed to evaluate socioeconomic inequalities in self-reported oral health among community-dwelling Brazilian older adults and evaluate the oral health factors contributing to the inequalities.
Conclusion
The study found that poor self-reported oral health is more common among older adults with low income and education, with difficulties in eating being a major contributing factor.
Supporting Evidence
- 35.8% of dentate individuals reported poor oral health.
- 29.6% of edentulous individuals reported poor oral health.
- Poor oral health was more prevalent among those with low income and education.
- Difficulties in eating were the most significant contributing factor to oral health inequalities.
- The gap in poor oral health between those with no schooling and some schooling was 12.8 percentage points.
Takeaway
Older people with less money and education often say their teeth and gums are in worse shape, and having trouble eating makes it even worse.
Methodology
This was a cross-sectional study using data from the Brazilian National Health Survey conducted in 2019, analyzing self-reported oral health categorized as good or poor.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from unobserved factors affecting self-reported health status.
Limitations
The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and the reliance on self-reported measures may not capture actual oral health status.
Participant Demographics
Participants were Brazilian older adults aged 60 and older, with a majority being female.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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