Spencer Andrew John, AlKhtib Asmaa Othman, Al Darwish Mohamed Sultan, Mohame Hasaan Gassim Saad, Mathew Tintu, Al Mannai Ghanim Ali, Al Thani Mohammed, Abdulmalik Mariam, de Vries Johann, Do Loc Giang, Chrisopoulos Sergio
Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar.
Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2025 Feb;53(1):106-116. doi: 10.1111/cdoe.13010. Epub 2024 Oct 30.
Childhood primary dentition caries prevalence and experience is higher among Qatari than non-Qatari nationality children in Qatar but only this bivariate association has been described.
There were two objectives. First, to understand the variation of primary dentition caries among 4- to 8-year-old children in Qatar across nationality classified into four groups, and second, to explore whether the association persisted in the presence of socio-demographic and behavioural indicators.
The study used data from the Qatar Child Oral Health Survey 2017 (QCOHS 2017). Detailed information was collected through a parental dual-language questionnaire and an oral epidemiological examination conducted by calibrated dentist examiners. Children in 20 kindergartens and 40 schools across Qatar were recruited. Data were weighted to represent the Qatar child population.
Overall, 1154 children aged 4-8 years old (48.9% female, 51.1% male) participated. Qatari children made up 26.3%, Non-Qatari (N-Q) Arabic children 44.2% N-Q Indian sub-continent 16.4% and N-Q Other 13.1%. There were no significant differences by nationality for age or sex, but differences existed for kindergarten/school type and parents' highest level of education. Among behavioural indicators, Qatari and N-Q Arabic children began toothbrushing later, and more N-Q Other children brushed 2+ times a day and had made a check-up visit in the last 12 months. More Qatari children were in the highest tertial for sugar intake and drank bottled water with no fluoride. All N-Q children had a significantly lower prevalence and experience of caries. The means ratio (95% CI) for N-Q Arabic (0.78; 0.65-0.94), Indian (0.58; 0.46-0.72) and other children (0.61; 0.42-0.88) were all significant against Qatari nationality children. Multivariable models showed an attenuation of the association with caries with the means ratio for N-Q Arabic (0.92; 0.73-1.16), Indian (0.79; 0.57-1.11) and other children (0.94; 0.61-1.44) being non-significant compared to Qatari nationality children. The variables which were significantly associated with caries were parental education, toothbrushing frequency, sugar intake and check-up visiting in the last 12 months in the multivariable models.
Primary dentition caries in children resident in Qatar differed by nationality. The association of primary dentition caries with nationality was markedly attenuated and non-significant in the presence of socio-demographic and behavioural variables, pointing towards the importance of these variables as the pathways to improving primary dentition caries prevalence and experience of children in Qatar.
卡塔尔本国儿童的乳牙龋齿患病率和患病经历高于非卡塔尔国籍儿童，但此前仅描述过这种双变量关联。
本研究有两个目的。其一，了解卡塔尔4至8岁儿童乳牙龋齿在按国籍分为四组的儿童中的差异；其二，探讨在存在社会人口统计学和行为指标的情况下，这种关联是否依然存在。
本研究使用了2017年卡塔尔儿童口腔健康调查（QCOHS 2017）的数据。通过家长双语问卷以及由经过校准的牙医检查员进行的口腔流行病学检查收集详细信息。招募了卡塔尔全国20所幼儿园和40所学校的儿童。数据经过加权以代表卡塔尔儿童人口。
总体而言，1154名4至8岁儿童（48.9%为女性，51.1%为男性）参与了研究。卡塔尔本国儿童占26.3%，非卡塔尔（N-Q）阿拉伯儿童占44.2%，N-Q印度次大陆儿童占16.4%，N-Q其他儿童占13.1%。不同国籍儿童在年龄或性别上无显著差异，但在幼儿园/学校类型和父母最高教育水平方面存在差异。在行为指标方面，卡塔尔本国和N-Q阿拉伯儿童开始刷牙较晚，更多N-Q其他儿童每天刷牙2次以上且在过去12个月内进行过检查。更多卡塔尔本国儿童糖摄入量处于最高三分位数且饮用无氟瓶装水。所有N-Q儿童的龋齿患病率和患病经历均显著较低。与卡塔尔本国儿童相比，N-Q阿拉伯儿童（均值比[95%CI]为0.78；0.65 - 0.94）、印度儿童（0.58；0.46 - 0.72）和其他儿童（0.61；0.42 - 0.88）的均值比均具有统计学意义。多变量模型显示，与卡塔尔本国儿童相比，N-Q阿拉伯儿童（均值比为0.92；0.73 - 1.16）、印度儿童（0.79；0.57 - 1.11）和其他儿童（0.94；0.61 - 1.44）与龋齿的关联减弱且无统计学意义。在多变量模型中，与龋齿显著相关的变量包括父母教育程度、刷牙频率、糖摄入量以及过去12个月内的检查情况。
居住在卡塔尔的儿童乳牙龋齿情况因国籍而异。在存在社会人口统计学和行为变量的情况下，乳牙龋齿与国籍的关联明显减弱且无统计学意义，这表明这些变量作为改善卡塔尔儿童乳牙龋齿患病率和患病经历途径的重要性。
