CORRELATION OF SOCIOECONOMIC VARIABLES WITH DENTAL-CARIES AMONG SECOND-GRADERS AND 6TH-GRADERS IN QUEBEC DURING THE YEAR 1989-1990

Objectives: 1) To determine caries risk factors in second and sixth gr ade Quebec children; 2) To test multivariate models which identify chi ldren as belonging to a high prevalence group. Methods: For the 1989-9 0 Sante Dentaire Quebec survey, 2,291 second grade and 2,111 sixth gra de school children responded to a questionnaire on their personal habi ts of hygiene and diet and underwent a clinical examination, while the ir parents answered a questionnaire regarding their family's socioecon omic status. Results: Statistics demonstrate a stronger link between s ocioeconomic variables and caries prevalence than demographic and sani tary factors. Children emerging from a high socioeconomic milieu have better dental health than children with low socioeconomic standing. Th e most effective model, however, registers a sensitivity of 65% and a specificity of 66%, revealing the inadequacy of statistical models to accurately identify children in the caries high prevalence group.