Gloria Mejía|Jane A. Weintraub|Nancy Cheng|Wynne Grossman|Pamela Z. Han|Kathy R. Phipps|Stuart A. Gansky
Language and literacy relate to lack of children’s dental sealant use
University of California, San Francisco|University of Adelaide|University of California, San Francisco|University of California, San Francisco|Center for Environmental Health|University of California, San Francisco|University of California, San Francisco
study aimed determine percent californias third grade public school children lacking sealants child family factors measure social disparities lacking sealantsthe study analyzed data california oral health needs assessment cohna 20042005 complex stratified cluster sample children n 10450 182 randomly selected public elementary schools california dependent variable absence sealants first permanent molars independent variables included child raceethnicity socioeconomic position sep measured childs participation free reducedprice lunch program individual school level acculturation measured language spoken home school level percent english language learners parent functional health literacy measured correctly following questionnaire instructions absolute differences health disparity indices ie slope index inequality relative index inequalitymean absolute concentration index used measure absolute relative disparitiesthe percent children lacking sealants high racialethnic groups child school level sep differences lacking sealants seen significant differences existed acculturation child school level parental functional health literacynonenglish language poor parental functional health literacy potential barriers need addressed overcome disparities sealant utilization