فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Introduction: To evaluate the impact of mother’s literacy on child dental caries based on anational oral health survey in Iran and to investigate the possibility of ecological fallacy inaggregate data analysis. Materials and Methods: Existing data were from second nationaloral health survey that was carried out in 2004, which including 8725 6 years old participants.The association of mother’s literacy with caries occurrence (DMF (Decayed, Missing, Filling)total score >0) of her child was assessed using individual data by logistic regression model.Then the association of the percentages of mother’s literacy and the percentages of decayedteeth in each 30 provinces of Iran was assessed using aggregated data retrieved from thedata of second national oral health survey of Iran and alternatively from census of “StatisticalCenter of Iran” using linear regression model. The significance level was set at 0.05 for allanalysis. Results: Individual data analysis showed a statistically significant associationbetween mother’s literacy and decayed teeth of children (P = 0.02, odds ratio = 0.83). Therewere not statistical significant association between mother’s literacy and child dental caries inaggregate data analysis of oral health survey (P = 0.79, B = 0.03) and census of “StatisticalCenter of Statistics” (P = 0.60, B = 0.14). Conclusion: Literate mothers have a preventiveeffect on occurring dental caries of children. According to the high percentage of illiterateparents in Iran, it’s logical to consider suitable methods of oral health education which do notneed reading or writing. Aggregate data analysis and individual data analysis had completelydifferent results in this study.