Self-perceived loss of control and untreated dental decay in African American adults with and without sickle cell disease

Brian Laurence, Dexter Woods, David George, Onyinye Onyekwere, Ralph Katz, Sophie Lanzkron, Marie Diener-West, Neil Powe

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between self-perceived loss of control as measured by dental external locus of control summary scores, with the amount of untreated dental decay in African American adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) and African Americans adults without SCD. The sample included 102 subjects with SCD and 103 subjects without SCD matched on age, sex, and recruitment location (mean age of all subjects 35.4 years, 55.6% female). Subjects with SCD in the highest quartile for dental external locus of control summary scores had 2.58-fold (CI 1.05, 6.34) as much untreated decay as those in the lowest quartile (p<.05) in multivariable analysis using the negative binomial regression model. For subjects without SCD, those in the highest quartile for dental external locus of control summary scores had 3.00-fold (CI 1.38, 6.49) as much untreated decay as those in the lowest quartile (p<.05) using similar analysis. This study showed that higher dental external locus of control is associated with increased untreated tooth decay, both for African Americans with and without SCD and that the magnitude of the association did not differ across groups.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)641-651
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of health care for the poor and underserved
Volume17
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2006

Keywords

  • African American
  • Dental caries
  • Locus of control
  • Sickle cell disease

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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