Oral Health and Quality of Life of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in North Carolina

摘要

Oral health deficits can have a significant effect on workers' general health andtheir ability to carry out normal activities. Although farmworkers have been found to lackaccess to dental care, few studies have documented their oral health status or its impact onquality of life (QOL). This research (1) describes the oral health problems experienced andoral health care received by Latino farmworkers in North Carolina, and (2) explores theassociation between oral health and QOL. Data were collected using face-to-face interviewsfrom a representative sample of 151 farmworkers; data included oral health-related QOL(OHIP-14) and general health-related QOL (SF-12 Health Survey). Workers reported a highnumber of unmet needs: 52% reported caries, and 33% reported missing teeth. Only 21 % hadreceived dental services in the past year, almost all in Mexico rather than the U.S. Thedimensions of oral health-related QOL most impaired were psychological discomfort andphysical pain caused by dental problems. Number of functional oral health problems was thestrongest predictor of oral health-related QOL (p < 0.001) and physical health-related QOL(p < 0.05), but was unrelated to mental health-related QOL. These findings indicate that thehigh rate of unmet oral health needs is associated with poorer farmworker QOL. Theconsequences of suffering on-going dental pain for work performance, sleep, and nutritionalstatus are unknown. Because national data indicate that fewer farmworkers are returning totheir countries of origin, communities with large farmworker populations need to addresstheir unmet needs for dental care.