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Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Oral Health Experiences in 10 States, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2004–2006

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Abstract

To describe and assess racial/ethnic differences in maternal oral health experiences during their most recent pregnancy. We analyzed 2004–06 data from the CDC Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), a population-based surveillance system that collects data on pregnancy and postpartum experiences of mothers who have recently delivered a live infant. Ten states included in the analysis had a ≥70% weighted response rate and three standard questions pertaining to oral health. A total of 35,267 white non-Hispanic (WNH), black non-Hispanic (BNH) and Hispanic women were included in the analysis. We used weighted percentages/standard errors and multivariate logistic regression, controlling for selected descriptive characteristics. Only 41% of all women received oral health counseling during pregnancy. In the multivariate analyses, compared to WNH women, BNH women were more likely to have a dental problem (OR 1.19, CI 1.05–1.35). BNH and Hispanic women were less likely to obtain dental care during pregnancy (OR 0.87, CI 0.77–0.98; OR 0.77, CI 0.64–0.91 respectively) and were less likely to ever have had a teeth cleaning (OR 0.64, CI 0.52–0.78; 0.36, OR CI 0.29–0.46 respectively) when compared to WNH women. In addition, BNH and Hispanic women were less likely to have a teeth cleaning before (OR 0.82, CI 0.72–0.94; OR 0.60, CI 0.50–0.72 respectively) as well as during pregnancy (OR 0.68, CI 0.59–0.78; OR 0.74, CI 0.61–0.90) when compared to WNH women. Significant racial/ethnic disparities in maternal oral health experiences exist. Most women are not offered dental counseling during pregnancy.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System working group: The members of working group are given in “Appendix” section.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Enders 961, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Sunah S. Hwang

  2. Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Division of Newborn Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Vincent C. Smith

  3. Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge Building Room 619, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Marie C. McCormick

  4. Division of Reproductive Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS K-20, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA

    Wanda D. Barfield

Authors
  1. Sunah S. Hwang
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  4. Wanda D. Barfield
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sunah S. Hwang.

Appendix

Appendix

Alabama—Albert Woolbright, PhD; Alaska—Kathy Perham-Hester, MS, MPH; Arkansas—Mary McGehee, PhD; Colorado—Alyson Shupe, PhD; Delaware—George Yocher, MS; Florida—Marie Bailey, MA, MSW, MPH; Georgia—Carol Hoban, Ph.D, MS,.MPH; Hawaii—Mark Eshima, MA; Illinois—Theresa Sandidge, MA; Louisiana—Joan Wightkin; Maine—Tom Patenaude; Maryland—Diana Cheng, MD; Massachusetts—Hafsatou Diop, MD, MPH; Michigan—Violanda Grigorescu, MD, MSPH; Minnesota—Judy Punyko, PhD, MPH; Mississippi—Marilyn Jones, M.Ed; Missouri—Venkata Garikapaty, MSc, MS, PhD, MPH; Montana—JoAnn Dotson; Nebraska—Brenda Coufal; New Jersey—Lakota Kruse, MD; New Mexico—Eirian Coronado, MPH; New York State—Anne Radigan-Garcia; New York City—Candace Mulready-Ward, MPH; North Carolina—Paul Buescher, PhD; North Dakota—Sandra Anseth; Ohio—Connie Geidenberger; Oklahoma –Alicia Lincoln, MSW, MSPH; Oregon—Kenneth Rosenberg, MD; Pennsylvania—Tony Norwood; Rhode Island—Sam Viner-Brown, PhD; South Carolina—Mike Smith; South Dakota Tribal—Christine Rinki, MPH; Texas—Kate Sullivan, PhD; Tennessee—David Law, PhD; Utah—Laurie Baksh; Vermont—Peggy Brozicevic; Virginia—Marilyn Wenner; Washington—Linda Lohdefinck; West Virginia—Melissa Baker, MA; Wisconsin—Katherine Kvale, PhD; Wyoming—Angi Crotsenberg; CDC PRAMS Team, Applied Sciences Branch, Division of Reproductive Health.

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Hwang, S.S., Smith, V.C., McCormick, M.C. et al. Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Maternal Oral Health Experiences in 10 States, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, 2004–2006. Matern Child Health J 15, 722–729 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-010-0643-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-010-0643-2

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