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Dewidar O, McHale G, Al Zubaidi A, Bondok M, Abdelrazeq L, Huang J, Jearvis A, Aliyeva K, Alghamyan A, Jahel F, Greer-Smith R, Tufte J, Barker LC, Elmestekawy N, Sharp MK, Horsley T, Prats CJ, Jull J, Wolfenden L, Cuervo LG, Hardy BJ, Roberts JH, Ghogomu E, Obuku E, Owusu-Addo E, Nicholls SG, Mbuagbaw L, Funnell S, Shea B, Rizvi A, Tugwell P, Bhutta Z, Welch V, Melendez-Torres GJ. Motivations for investigating health inequities in observational epidemiology: a content analysis of 320 studies. J Clin Epidemiol 2024; 168:111283. [PMID: 38369078 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2024.111283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To enhance equity in clinical and epidemiological research, it is crucial to understand researcher motivations for conducting equity-relevant studies. Therefore, we evaluated author motivations in a randomly selected sample of equity-relevant observational studies published during the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING We searched MEDLINE for studies from 2020 to 2022, resulting in 16,828 references. We randomly selected 320 studies purposefully sampled across income setting (high vs low-middle-income), COVID-19 topic (vs non-COVID-19), and focus on populations experiencing inequities. Of those, 206 explicitly mentioned motivations which we analyzed thematically. We used discourse analysis to investigate the reasons behind emerging motivations. RESULTS We identified the following motivations: (1) examining health disparities, (2) tackling social determinants to improve access, and (3) addressing knowledge gaps in health equity. Discourse analysis showed motivations stem from commitments to social justice and recognizing the importance of highlighting it in research. Other discourses included aspiring to improve health-care efficiency, wanting to understand cause-effect relationships, and seeking to contribute to an equitable evidence base. CONCLUSION Understanding researchers' motivations for assessing health equity can aid in developing guidance that tailors to their needs. We will consider these motivations in developing and sharing equity guidance to better meet researchers' needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Dewidar
- Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
| | - Georgia McHale
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Ali Al Zubaidi
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; School of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Mostafa Bondok
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Leenah Abdelrazeq
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; Department of Health Sciences, Carelton University, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jimmy Huang
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Alyssa Jearvis
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Khadija Aliyeva
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Amjad Alghamyan
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Fatima Jahel
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | | | - Lucy C Barker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| | - Nour Elmestekawy
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Melissa K Sharp
- Department of General Practice, Health Research Board Centre for Primary Care Research, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tanya Horsley
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Clara Juandro Prats
- Applied Health Research Center, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Janet Jull
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Luke Wolfenden
- Cochrane Public Health, School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luis Gabriel Cuervo
- Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Washington, DC, USA; Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Preventive Medicine, Doctoral School, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Billie-Jo Hardy
- Social and Behavioural Health Sciences, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Janet Hatchet Roberts
- WHO Collaborating Centre for Knowledge Translation and Health Technology Assessment in Health Equity, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Ekwaro Obuku
- Africa Centre for Systematic Reviews & Knowledge Translation, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Ebenezer Owusu-Addo
- Bureau of Integrated Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Stuart G Nicholls
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Lawrence Mbuagbaw
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | - Sarah Funnell
- Department of Family Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada; Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Bev Shea
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Anita Rizvi
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Peter Tugwell
- Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zulfiqar Bhutta
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Global Child Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada; Centre for Excellence in Women and Child Health and Institute of Global Health and Development, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Vivian Welch
- Bruyère Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada; School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Yamamoto T, Kiuchi S, Ishimaru M, Fukuda H, Yokoyama T. Associations between school-based fluoride mouth-rinse program, medical-dental expense subsidy policy, and children's oral health in Japan: an ecological study. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:762. [PMID: 38475804 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18156-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dental caries are a common non-communicable disease among children. As a public health measure at the prefectural level, school-based fluoride mouth-rinse (S-FMR) program, medical/dental expense subsidy policies, and other factors may reduce the incidence of dental caries and tooth loss. Prefectures focusing on promoting oral health policies may promote both, but the interaction effect of implementing both subsidy policies and S-FMR at the prefectural level on caries prevention has not yet been examined. METHODS We conducted an ecological study using two-wave panel data, prefecture-level aggregated data in Japan for 2016 and 2018. Coefficient and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the dependent variables for oral health using mixed-effects linear regression analysis adjusted for possible confounders. Two dependent variables were used; the standardized claim ratio (SCR) of deciduous tooth extraction and 12-year-olds' decayed, missing, or filled permanent teeth (DMFT). Four independent variables were S-FMR, the SCR of dental sealants, prefectural income per person, and subsidy policy in three models: co-payment until children enter elementary school (n = 23), no co-payment until children enter elementary school (n = 7), and co-payment continuing beyond elementary school (n = 17). The effects of six interaction terms, each representing a unique pairing from the four independent variables, were individually calculated. RESULTS S-FMR was negatively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extractions and DMFT (coefficient = -0.11, 95% CI -0.20; -0.01 and coefficient = -0.003, 95% CI -0.005; -0.001, respectively). No co-payment until children enter elementary school was positively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extraction compared to co-payment until children enter elementary school(coefficient = 11.42, 95% CI 3.29; 19.55). SCR of dental sealants was positively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extractions (coefficient = 0.12, 95% CI 0.06; 0.19) but negatively associated with DMFT (coefficient = -0.001, 95% CI -0.003; -0.0001). Per capita prefectural income was positively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extractions(coefficient = 0.01, 95% CI 0.001; 0.02). No interaction was found between S-FMR and the subsidy policy at both outcomes. CONCLUSION High S-FMR utilization and no co-payment until children enter elementary school were associated with fewer deciduous tooth extractions. Also, S-FMR and dental sealant were associated with decreased DMFT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takafumi Yamamoto
- Department of Health Promotion, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan.
- Department of International and Community Oral Health, Graduate School of Dentistry, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan.
| | - Sakura Kiuchi
- Department of International and Community Oral Health, Graduate School of Dentistry, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
- Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Miho Ishimaru
- The Institute of Education, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Tetsuji Yokoyama
- Department of Health Promotion, National Institute of Public Health, Saitama, Japan
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Shoaee S, Masinaei M, Saeedi Moghaddam S, Sofi-Mahmudi A, Hessari H, Shamsoddin E, Heydari MH, Larijani B, Fakhrzadeh H, Farzadfar F. National and Subnational Trend of Dental Caries of Permanent Teeth in Iran, 1990-2017. Int Dent J 2024; 74:129-137. [PMID: 37574408 PMCID: PMC10829359 DOI: 10.1016/j.identj.2023.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There are currently no integrated data on the trend of dental caries amongst distinct age groups in Iran. We aimed to assess the national and subnational trend of dental caries of permanent teeth in Iran from 1990 to 2017. METHODS A literature search about dental caries and the decayed-missing-filled teeth index (DMFT) was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and 3 national databases (in Persian). All eligible national oral health surveys in these 28 years were included. We categorised and aggregated the DMFT values and their components based on age (5-year-based groups from 5 to 9 to 60+ years), sex, year, and province. The data for missing spots were estimated using the spatiotemporal Bayesian hierarchical model. We used the bootstrap method in multilevel models to predict the uncertainty interval (UI) of the modelled results. RESULTS Nationally, the all-ages mean DMFT increased by nearly 58.0% (6.8 [95% UI, 4.1-10.5] in 1990 to 10.8 [95% UI, 7.5-14.5] in 2017). Decayed teeth (DT) and missing teeth (MT) rose by 84.5% and 31.6% during this period, respectively. Filled teeth (FT) showed almost a 2.6-fold increase in the same period from 0.6 (95% UI, 0.01-1.6) in 1990 to 1.7 (95% UI, 0.6-2.8) in 2017. The proportion of DT and FT continuously increased in both sexes. In 2017, the highest DT, MT, and FT were estimated in the 25-29 (4.9 [95% UI, 2.5-7.2]), 60+ (21.5 [95% UI, 17.5-25.4]), and 35-39 (2.6 [95% UI, 1.3-4.0]) year age groups. CONCLUSIONS Caries of permanent dentition levies a growing burden on the Iranian population. Considering the continuous increase in caries during the 1990-2017 period, Iranian policymakers should pay heed to these findings and react more proactively to mitigate this perpetuating issue. Implementing nationwide interventions such as sugar consumption management should be encouraged to achieve sustainable outcomes in this regards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shervan Shoaee
- Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Kerman Oral and Dental Diseases Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Masoud Masinaei
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Saeedi Moghaddam
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Sofi-Mahmudi
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Cochrane Iran Associate Centre, National Institute for Medical Research Development (NIMAD), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Hessari
- Research Center for Caries Prevention, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Erfan Shamsoddin
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Cochrane Iran Associate Centre, National Institute for Medical Research Development (NIMAD), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad-Hossein Heydari
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bagher Larijani
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Fakhrzadeh
- Elderly Health Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farshad Farzadfar
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Jamshaid S, Bahadar N, Jamshed K, Rashid M, Imran Afzal M, Tian L, Umar M, Feng X, Khan I, Zong M. Pre- and Post-Pandemic (COVID-19) Mental Health of International Students: Data from a Longitudinal Study. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2023; 16:431-446. [PMID: 36814636 PMCID: PMC9939801 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s395035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose International students are highly vulnerable to the risk of mental health worsening before and during the pandemic (COVID-19). This study investigated international students' mental health pre- and post-pandemic (COVID-19). Methods It is a longitudinal study, and data were collected online, pre-pandemic (N = 470) and during the pandemic (N = 420). Using a random sampling technique, a self-administered questionnaire was used to measure mental health, including depression and anxiety. Results Findings show that international students' mental health was good in pre-pandemic. Meanwhile, international students were found to be more depressed and anxious during the pandemic. Findings also investigated that in the pre-pandemic phase, young students' and mainly females' mental health was worsened. Conclusion This study concluded that students' mental problems are alarming, so the university should provide psychological services for the student's mental health. Post-pandemic is leaving long-lasting psychological effects and will require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samrah Jamshaid
- Department of Rehabilitation, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China,School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Noor Bahadar
- Department of Transgenic Animals, Changchun WISH Testing Technology & Service Co, Ltd, Building E11, Beihu Science Park B, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kamran Jamshed
- Business School, Bahria University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Misbah Rashid
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Southern Punjab, Multan, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Imran Afzal
- School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lv Tian
- Department of Rehabilitation, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Umar
- Department of Orthopaedics, Shenzhen University General Hospital, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuechao Feng
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics, Institute of Genetics and Cytology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China
| | - Imtiaz Khan
- Department of Weed Science and Botany, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Minru Zong
- Department of Rehabilitation, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Minru Zong, Department of Rehabilitation, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, No. 126 Xiantai Street, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, People’s Republic of China, Email
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Kim NH, Kawachi I. Age period cohort analysis of chewing ability in Korea from 2007 to 2018. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14660. [PMID: 34282165 PMCID: PMC8289934 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94086-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been marked improvements in oral health in Korea during the past 10 years, including chewing ability. We sought to disentangle age, period, and cohort effects in chewing ability between 2007 and 2018. We analyzed data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The main variable was chewing difficulty, which was assessed among participants aged 20 years and older. APC analysis revealed three trends in chewing difficulty: (1) there was an increase in chewing difficulty starting at around 60 years of age (age effect), (2) there was a steady decrease in chewing difficulty during the observation period (period effect), and (3) chewing ability improved with each successive generation born after 1951 (cohort effect). Regarding recent improvements in chewing ability, cohort effects were somewhat more important than period effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam-Hee Kim
- Department of Dental Hygiene, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, 20 Ilsan-ro, Wonju, Gangwon-do, 26426, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Mirae Campus, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do, 26493, Republic of Korea.
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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Davidson T, Blomma C, Bågesund M, Krevers B, Vall M, Wärnberg Gerdin E, Tranæus S. Cost-effectiveness of caries preventive interventions - a systematic review. Acta Odontol Scand 2021; 79:309-320. [PMID: 33370544 DOI: 10.1080/00016357.2020.1862293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The primary purpose of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of caries preventive interventions. MATERIAL AND METHODS A systematic review was conducted, following the PRISMA Statement. Four electronic databases were searched (final search 16 March 2020). Studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were independently critically appraised, by two reviewers in parallel. Data from each included study were extracted and tabulated: the analysis used a narrative approach to present the results of the estimated cost-effectiveness. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Twenty-six publications fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were of low or moderate risk of bias. Ten publications were economic evaluations, directly based on empirical studies, and the other 16 were modelling studies. Most of the studies concerned interventions for children and the most common were analyses of fluoride varnish and risk-based programs. Some of the studies showed both reduced cost and improved outcomes, but most studies reported that the improved outcome came with an additional cost. The results disclosed several cost-effectiveness evaluations of caries preventive interventions in the literature, but these target primarily children at high risk. There is a scarcity of studies specifically targeting adults and especially the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Davidson
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Health Technology Assessment - Odontology (HTA-O), Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Caroline Blomma
- Public Dental Service Östergötland, and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Mats Bågesund
- Center for Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, Norrköping, and Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Barbro Krevers
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Martina Vall
- Malmö University Library, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Wärnberg Gerdin
- Odontological Research Unit, Public Dental Service, Region Örebro County, Örebro, Sweden
- School of Health and Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Sofia Tranæus
- Health Technology Assessment - Odontology (HTA-O), Faculty of Odontology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Shen A, Bernabé E, Sabbah W. Systematic Review of Intervention Studies Aiming at Reducing Inequality in Dental Caries among Children. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031300. [PMID: 33535581 PMCID: PMC7908536 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: The objective is to systematically review the evidence on intervention programs aiming at reducing inequality in dental caries among children. (2) Methods: Two independent investigators searched MEDLINE, Cochrane library, and Ovid up to December 2020 to identify intervention studies assessing the impact on socioeconomic inequalities in dental caries among children. The interventions included any health promotion/preventive intervention aiming at reducing caries among children across different socioeconomic groups. Comparison groups included children with alternative or no intervention. Cochrane criteria were used to assess interventional studies for risk of bias. (3) Results: After removal of duplicate studies, 1235 articles were retained. Out of 43 relevant papers, 13 articles were identified and used in qualitative synthesis, and reported quantifiable outcomes. The included studies varied in measurements of interventions, sample size, age groups, and follow-up time. Five studies assessed oral health promotion or health-education, four assessed topical fluorides, and four assessed water fluoridation. Interventions targeting the whole population showed a consistent reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in dental caries among children. (4) Conclusion: The quality of included papers was moderate. High heterogeneity did not allow aggregation of the findings. The overall findings suggest that whole population interventions such as water fluoridation are more likely to reduce inequalities in children’s caries than target population and individual interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anqi Shen
- Department of Preventive Dentistry, Beijing Stomatology Hospital, Capital Medical University, 4th Tiantanxili, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-(010)-5709-9285
| | - Eduardo Bernabé
- Dental Public Health Group, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London SE5 9RS, UK; (E.B.); (W.S.)
| | - Wael Sabbah
- Dental Public Health Group, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, King’s College London, London SE5 9RS, UK; (E.B.); (W.S.)
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