Bullied Because of Their Teeth: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study on the Impact of Oral Health on Bullying Victimization among Australian Indigenous Children

Md Irteja Islam, Verity Chadwick, Tuguy Esgin and Alexandra Martiniuk
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Md Irteja Islam: Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, A27 Fisher Road, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Verity Chadwick: Royal North Shore Hospital, Reserve Rd., St. Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
Tuguy Esgin: Discipline of Exercise and Sports Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Level 6 Susan Wakil Health Building D18, Western Ave, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
Alexandra Martiniuk: Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building, A27 Fisher Road, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Making life better for Indigenous peoples is a global priority. Although bullying and oral health have always been a topic of concern, there is limited information regarding the impact of this problem on the general population, with no evidence in this regard among the Australian Indigenous population. Thus, we aimed to quantify the relationship between bullying victimization and oral health problems by remoteness among 766 Australian Indigenous children aged between 10–15-years using data from the LSIC study. Bivariate and multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression analyses were employed. Findings indicated children self-reported bullying more than parents reported their children were being bullied (44% vs. 33.6%), with a higher percentage from rural/remote areas than urban areas. Parents reported that oral health problems increased the probability (OR 2.20, p < 0.05) of being bullied, in Indigenous children living in urban areas. Racial discrimination, lower level of parental education and poor child oral hygiene increase the risk of bullying victimization. Parental happiness with life and a safe community were associated with a lower risk of bullying. Dental problems are linked with Australian Indigenous children experiencing bullying victimization. Cultural resilience and eliminating discrimination may be two modifiable paths to ameliorating health issues associated with bullying in the Australian Indigenous community.

Keywords: bullying; oral health; indigenous; children; Australia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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