 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
W. Brad Jones, MSIE1, Susan O. Griffin, PhD2, Laurie Barker2, Eugenio D. Beltran, DDS, Dr PH2, and Paul M. Griffin, PhD1. (1) School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 765 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, (404) 894-2366, wbrad@isye.gatech.edu, (2) Division of Oral Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Mailstop F-10, Atlanta, GA 30341
This project analyzed changes in dental health status among U.S. adults from 1971 to 1994. Using public data files from the First and Third National Health Examination Surveys (NHANES I, 1971-1974; NHANES III, 1988-1994), we divided the population into six groups by year of age: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, and 65-74. We stratified each group by race (White and Black) and calculated the sex-standardized mean number of functional (no untreated decay) and sound teeth, proportion of people with at least one natural tooth (dentate), and mean number of untreated decayed teeth among dentate persons. During the time span that elapsed from NHANES I to NHANES III, we found that White adults were more likely to be dentate and had more sound and functional teeth; whereas, for Black adults, gains in functional teeth were limited to persons aged 18-44 and 65-74 years, while gains in sound teeth and dentate status were limited to adults aged 18-35 and 65-74 years. For both races, dentate adults aged 18 to 34, experienced a decline in untreated decay. This analysis suggests that White adults of all ages and younger Black adults experienced gains in dental health status.
Learning Objectives: Identify four indicators of adult dental health status. Assess changes in dental health status from the 1970s to the 1990s. Compare changes in dental health status among races.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Oral Health, Oral Health Outcomes
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.