Carol C Guarnizo-Herreño|George L. Wehby
Explaining Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Dental Health: A Decomposition Analysis
Universidad Nacional de Colombia|University of Iowa|Universidad Nacional de Colombia|University of Iowa
objectives measured racialethnic inequalities us childrens dental health quantified contribution conceptually relevant factors methods using data 2007 national survey childrens health investigated racialethnic disparities selected child dental health preventive care outcomes employed decomposition model quantify demographic socioeconomic maternal health health insurance neighborhood geographic effects results hispanic children poorest dental health lowest preventive dental care utilization followed black white children model explanatory variables accounted 58 77 disparities dental health 89 100 disparities preventive dental care socioeconomic status accounted 71 gap preventive dental care black children white children 55 hispanic children white children maternal health age marital status neighborhood safety social capital state residence relevant factors conclusions reducing us childrens racialethnic dental health disparitieswhich mostly socioeconomically drivenrequires policies recognize multilevel pathways underlying need household neighborhoodlevel interventions