title: Occupational stress and self-perceived oral health in Brazilian adults: a Pro-Saude study.
abstract: The scope of this study is to investigate the association between occupational stress and self-perception of oral health. Data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire filled out in a Pró-Saúde Study by 3253 administrative technical staff from Rio de Janeiro's State University. Occupational stress was measured by means of a questionnaire elaborated in 1970 by Karasek, duly shortened by Thorell in 1988. Ordinal logistic regression was used for data analysis, subsequently adjusted for three blocks of variables. Workers exposed to high occupational demands and little occupational control and to passive work had higher chances of self-perception of worse oral health, when compared with those exposed to low occupational demands, there being no association observed in those exposed to active work. However, in the multiple regression model the following estimates were reduced in magnitude and lost statistical significance, namely high occupational demands and passive work. Workers exposed to high occupational demands revealed worse self-reported oral health, which seems to be partly explained by health behavior patterns, the presence of oral health problems and seeking dental services at longer intervals than once per year.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2492/3º, Rio Branco, Porto Alegre, RS. giscalco@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Giovana Pereira da Cunha
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Scalco
authors.forename: Claides
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abegg
authors.forename: Roger Keller
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Celeste
authors.forename: Yara Hahr Marques
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Hökerberg
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faerstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D009909:Oral Health; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires