Relationship Between Orofacial Pain And Absenteeism Among Workers In Southern Brazil

Abstract

Aim: To verify the relationship between orofacial pain and absenteeism in workers of slaughter and meat processing industries in the Southern region of Brazil. Methods: A cross-sectional study, with the random sample of 401 workers of slaughter and meat processing industries in the Southern region of Brazil, was carried out. A questionnaire referred to the situation of absenteeism caused by nine different types of orofacial pain and also the amount of time the employee was kept from work. Results: Only 60 workers (15%) reported having missed work due to orofacial pain in the six months prior to the study. The prevalence of absenteeism resulting from orofacial pain was of 15%. The types of orofacial pain that resulted in absenteeism were: spontaneous toothache (9.7 %); toothache caused by cold or hot liquids or by sweet foodstuff (6.5%) and pain around and behind the eyes (3.2%). There was a predominance of absenteeismin half and full work shifts for the types of orofacial pain experienced. Associations between absenteeism from induced toothache and gender (p < 0.05), absenteeism and spontaneous toothache and family income (p = 0.011), and between absenteeism and the self awareness of their oral health condition, as well as the nine types of orofacial pain (p < 0.001) were observed. Conclusions: The prevalence of absenteeism as a result of orofacial pain was low.815054Gift, H.C., Reisine, S.T., Larach, D.C., The social impact of dental problems and visits (1992) Am J Public Health, 82, pp. 1663-1668Berndt, E.R., Bailit, H.L., Keller, M.B., Verner, J.C., Finkelstein, S.N., Health care use and at-work productivity among employees with mental disorders (2000) Health Aff, 19, pp. 244-256Midorikawa, E.T., (2000) Odontology in worker's health as a new professional specialty: definition of the activity field and functions of the surgeon dentist in worker's health team, p. 337. , [Doctoral Tesis]. São Paulo: Faculdade de Odontologia of Universidade de São PauloHollister, M.C., Weintraub, J.A., The association of oral status with systemic health, quality of life, and economic productivity (1993) J Dent Educ, 57, pp. 901-912Schou, L., Oral health promotion at worksites (1989) Int Dent J, 39, pp. 122-128Locker, D., Grushka, M., The impact of dental and facial pain (1987) J Dent Res, 66, pp. 1414-1417Locker, D., Grushka, M., Prevalence of oral and facial pain and discomfort: preliminary results of a mail survey (1987) Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 15, pp. 169-172Hooper, H.A., Dental services in industry: observations on their effects in the reduction on absenteeism (1942) Industrial Medicine, 11, pp. 157-162Bailit, H., Beazoglou, T., Hoffman, W., (1982) Work loss and dental disease. Report to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, , University of Connecticut Health CenterMatos, D.L., Lima Costa, M.F., Guerra, H.L., Marcenes, W., Projeto Bambuí: avaliação de serviços odontológicos privados, públicos e de sindicato (2002) Rev Saúde Pública, 36, pp. 237-243Macfarlane, T.V., Blinkhorn, A.S., Davies, R.M., Kincey, J., Worthington, H.V., Orofacial pain in the community: prevalence and associated impact (2002) Community Dent Oral Epidemiol, 30, pp. 52-60Reisine, S.T., Miller, J., A longitudinal study of work loss related to dental diseases (1995) Soc Sci Med, 21 (12), pp. 1309-1314Jaafar, N., Razak, I.A., Zain, R.B., The social impact of oral and facial pain in an industrial population (1989) Ann Acad Med, 18, pp. 553-555Naito, M., Yuasa, H., Nomura, Y., Nakayama, T., Hamajima, N., Hanada, N., Oral health status and health-related quality of life: a systematic review (2006) J Oral Sci, 48, pp. 1-7Reisine, S.T., Dental disease and work loss (1984) J Dent Res, 63, pp. 1158-1161Reisine, S.T., Dental health and public policy: the social impact of dental disease (1985) Am J Public Health, 75, pp. 27-30Reisine, S.T., The impact of dental conditions on social functioning and the quality of life (1988) Annu Rev Public Health, 9, pp. 1-19Johnson, N.W., Glick, M., Mbuguye, T.N., Oral health and general health (2006) Adv Dent Res, 19, pp. 118-12