Factors associated with oral health inequalities in Korean adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Aim The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to socioeconomic differences in oral health behavior and oral symptom experience in Korean adolescents using the 2017 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey(KYRBS). Methods From the national 2017 KYRBS, which was approved by the Research Ethics Review Committee of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 61,874 adolescents aged 12-18 years were selected as participants of the present study. Toothbrushing, gum bleeding and toothache experience were selected as dependent variables, and subjective socioeconomic status (SES) was used as a measure of SES. For statistical analysis, complex samples logistic regression analysis was performed using SAS 9.3 (PROC SURVEYLOGISTIC). Results The Odds Ratio (OR) for toothbrushing variable in the highest SES group was 1.78 (95% CI: 1.68-1.88). The OR for the bleeding gums in the lowest SES group was 1.28 (95% CI: 1.21-1.36). Academic factors accounted for 19% of socioeconomic differences in toothbrushing, and psychological factors accounted for 36-49% of socioeconomic differences in oral symptoms. Conclusions Adolescent oral health inequalities were associated with a variety of factors including health behaviors, psychological factors, family and academic factors. Thus, oral health promotion of adolescents can be achieved by integrating relevant factors, which can be effective when based on schools. Key messages Social gradient in oral health behavior and oral symptoms of Korean adolescents persist when adjusted for behavioural, psychosocial and material factors. Because oral health in adolescents is linked to overall health, health promotion can be achieved when oral health inequalities are integrated and mediated within the overall health domain.