Socioeconomic Inequalities in Visits to the Dentist to Receive Professionally Applied Topical Fluoride in a Developing Country

Miriam Del Socorro Herrera, Carlo Eduardo Medina-Solís, América Patricia Pontigo-Loyola, Rubén De la Rosa-Santillana, Leticia Ávila-Burgos, Rogelio José Scougall-Vilchis, Sonia Márquez-Rodríguez, Mirna Minaya-Sánchez and Alejandro José Casanova-Rosado
Additional contact information
Miriam Del Socorro Herrera: Faculty of Dentistry of National Autonomous, University of Nicaragua, León 21000, Nicaragua
Carlo Eduardo Medina-Solís: Academic Area of Dentistry of Health Sciences Institute at Autonomous, University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca 42039, Mexico
América Patricia Pontigo-Loyola: Academic Area of Dentistry of Health Sciences Institute at Autonomous, University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca 42039, Mexico
Rubén De la Rosa-Santillana: Academic Area of Dentistry of Health Sciences Institute at Autonomous, University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca 42039, Mexico
Leticia Ávila-Burgos: Health Systems Research Centre at National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca 62100, Mexico
Rogelio José Scougall-Vilchis: Advanced Studies and Research Center in Dentistry “Keisaburo Miyata” of Faculty of Dentistry at Autonomous, University State of Mexico, Toluca 50000, Mexico
Sonia Márquez-Rodríguez: Academic Area of Dentistry of Health Sciences Institute at Autonomous, University of Hidalgo State, Pachuca 42039, Mexico
Mirna Minaya-Sánchez: Faculty of Dentistry of Autonomous, University of Campeche, Campeche 24039, Mexico
Alejandro José Casanova-Rosado: Faculty of Dentistry of Autonomous, University of Campeche, Campeche 24039, Mexico

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-10

Abstract: Objective: To determine the frequency and associated factors of visits to the dentist in the last year by Nicaraguan schoolchildren to receive professionally applied topical fluoride (PATF). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed in children from public schools in the city of León, Nicaragua, were included. A series of socioeconomic, sociodemographic, and behavioural variables were collected through a questionnaire. The dependent variable was the visit to the dentist to receive professionally applied topical fluoride in the last year, which was dichotomised as (0) Did not receive PATF and (1) Yes received PATF. In the statistical analysis, binary logistic regression was used. Results: The mean age of the students included was 9 years, and 49.9% were girls. The prevalence of visits to the dentist in the last year to receive PATF was 3.1%. In the multivariate model, the associated characteristics ( p < 0.05) were: female (OR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.34–4.50); the positive attitude of the mother to the oral health of her child (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.03–4.50); and the best socioeconomic position (OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.36—5.31). Conclusions: The prevalence of visits to the dentist in the last year to receive professionally applied topical fluoride was very low (3.1%). The results of the socioeconomic position suggest the existence of certain inequalities in oral health. It is necessary to implement policies and programs aimed at improving this scenario.

Keywords: oral health; health services; caries prevention; topical fluoride; Nicaragua (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/8/903/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/8/903/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:8:p:903-:d:107925

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().