An epidemiological study of dental caries and associated factors among children residing in orphanages in Kerala, India : health in Orphanages Project (HOPe)

Background: It is estimated that, as of 2010, there were 32 million orphaned children in India. There is little published information on the oral health of children in orphanages in India. Aim: To determine caries status and associated risk factors among children in orphanages in Kerala, India. Methods: This cross-sectional study assessed caries using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and caries experience was reported as decayed, missing and filled primary or secondary teeth (dmft or DMFT, respectively). A brief questionnaire captured information on child oral health behaviours. Mean [standard deviation (SD)] and median [interquartile range (IQR)] scores were used to describe caries rates. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent disease predictors. Study design complexities, such as clustering by orphanage and stratification by district, were accounted for in the multivariable regression analysis. This was carried out using the survey commands in STATA 13. A value of P