Bullied Because of Their Teeth: Evidence from a Longitudinal Study on the Impact of Oral Health on Bullying Victimization Among Australian Indigenous Children

Abstract

Making life better for Indigenous peoples is a global priority. Although bullying and oral health have always been a topic of concern, there is limited information regarding the impact of this problem in the general population, with no evidence in this regard among the Australian Indigenous population. Thus, we aimed to quantify the relationship between bullying victimization and oral health problems by remoteness among 766 Australian Indigenous children aged between 10–15-year-olds using data from the LSIC study. Bivariate and multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression analyses were employed. Findings indicated children self-reported bullying more than parents reported their children were being bullied (44% vs 33.6%), with a higher percentage from rural/remote areas than urban areas. Parents reported oral health problem increases the probability (OR 2.20, p<0.05) of being bullied in Indigenous children living in urban areas. Racial discrimination, lower level of parental education and poor child oral hygiene increase the risk of bullying victimization. Parental happiness with life and a safe community was associated with a lower risk of bullying. Dental problems are linked with Australian Indigenous children experiencing bullying victimization. Cultural resilience and eliminating discrimination maybe two modifiable paths to ameliorating health issues associated with bullying in the Australian Indigenous community.

Global trends and regional differences in the burden of anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder attributed to bullying victimisation in 204 countries and territories, 1999–2019: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study

“…In addition, regions with increasing patterns may be experiencing cultural conflicts, such as immigration and gender-nonconforming as mentioned above. Besides, in High-income Australasia, this situation may also result from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (Australian Institute of Health Welfare, 2022), especially for Indigenous youth due to the historical colonisation and assimilative policies (Islam et al ., 2022) while in Arab society, the serious situation might be amplified by gender restrictive norms that girls and women are required to conform to traditional roles by submitting to men and remain silent after experiencing sexual victimisation (Jeries-Loulou and Khoury-Kassabri, 2022). Bullying victimisation driven by cultural conflicts may not be entirely addressed by anti-bullying policies.…”