Mejia, G.Weintraub, J.Cheng, N.Grossman, W.Han, P.Phipps, K.Gansky, S.2011-06-212011-06-212011Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology, 2011; 39(4):318-3240301-56611600-0528http://hdl.handle.net/2440/64732<h4>Objectives</h4>This study aimed to determine the percent of California's third grade public school children lacking sealants by child and family factors and to measure social disparities for lacking sealants.<h4>Methods</h4>The study analyzed data from the California Oral Health Needs Assessment (COHNA) 2004-2005, a complex stratified cluster sample of children (n = 10,450) from 182 randomly selected public elementary schools in California. The dependent variable was absence of sealants in first permanent molars. The independent variables included child race/ethnicity; socio-economic position (SEP) measured as child's participation in the free or reduced-price lunch program at the individual and school level; acculturation measured as language spoken at home and school level percent of English language learners; and parent functional health literacy measured as correctly following questionnaire instructions. Absolute differences and health disparity indices (i.e. Slope Index of Inequality, Relative Index of Inequality-mean, Absolute Concentration Index) were used to measure absolute and relative disparities.<h4>Results</h4>The percent of children lacking sealants was high in all racial/ethnic groups; no child or school level SEP differences in lacking sealants were seen, but significant differences existed by acculturation (child and school level) and parental functional health literacy.<h4>Conclusions</h4>NonEnglish language and poor parental functional health literacy are potential barriers that need to be addressed to overcome disparities in sealant utilization.en© 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/SdisparitiessealantsJournal article002010763510.1111/j.1600-0528.2010.00599.x0002927438000042-s2.0-7996037925330123Mejia, G. [0000-0003-2189-3525]