Dental Caries Is Associated with Multidimensional Poverty: Evidence from Colombia

TL;DR

This study shows that dental caries in Colombia are linked to multidimensional poverty, suggesting oral health can reflect broader social inequalities.

Contribution

The study introduces dental caries as a potential indicator of multidimensional poverty in public health metrics.

Findings

Households with caries had higher poverty incidence and intensity compared to those without.

Caries were significantly associated with education deprivation, child labor, and poor housing conditions.

A female head of household and rural residence were linked to higher caries presence.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dental caries and multidimensional poverty in Colombia using data from the National Oral Health Survey (ENSAB IV, Spanish acronym). Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted using data from 20,534 individuals in six regions of the country. Dental caries was assessed using the ICDAS system, and multidimensional poverty was measured using a proxy Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) adapted from the method adjusted for Colombia. Descriptive analyses and bivariate comparisons were carried out, and Poisson regression models adjusted for sociodemographic variables were applied. Results: Households containing at least one member with caries had a higher incidence (59.9%) and intensity (46.7%) of multidimensional poverty compared to those without caries (52.6% and 45.6%, respectively). Significant associations were identified between caries and deprivation in education (low educational attainment: RR = 1.27), child labor (RR = 1.16), unemployment (RR = 1.04), lack of health insurance (RR = 1.09), and inadequate housing conditions (RR = 1.19). The model that analyzed the presence of caries in a household and multidimensional poverty, when controlled for housing conditions, confirmed a positive association between the MPI and the presence of caries (IRR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.050–1.107; p-value < 0.001). A female head of household and rural residence were also identified as variables associated with the presence of caries in a household. Conclusions: The presence of a household member with dental caries is significantly associated with multidimensional poverty in Colombia. This study highlights the need to consider oral health as a sensitive indicator of structural inequality and proposes its inclusion in social progress metrics. The findings support the design of comprehensive public health strategies that address the social determinants of oral health, especially in vulnerable populations.

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