title: Work absenteeism by parents because of oral conditions in preschool children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of oral conditions in preschool children and associated factors on work absenteeism experienced by parents or guardians.
  
  
  METHODS
  A preschool-based, cross-sectional study was conducted of 837 children, 3-5 years of age, in Campina Grande, Brazil. Parents or guardians answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale. The item 'taken time off work' was the dependent variable. Questionnaires addressing sociodemographic variables, history of toothache and health perceptions (general and oral) were also administered. Clinical examinations for dental caries and traumatic dental injury (TDI) were performed by three dentists who had undergone training and calibration exercises. Cohen's kappa (κ) was 0.83-0.88 for interexaminer agreement and 0.85-0.90 for intra-examiner agreement. Descriptive, analytical statistics were conducted, followed by logistic regression for complex samples (α = 5%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of parents' or guardians' work absenteeism because of the oral conditions of their children was 9.2%. The following variables were significantly associated with work absenteeism: mother's low schooling [odds ratio (OR) = 2.31; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.31-4.07]; history of toothache (OR = 6.33; 95% CI: 3.18-12.61); and avulsion or luxation types of TDI (OR = 8.54; 95% CI: 1.80-40.53).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Other oral conditions that do not generally cause pain, such as dental caries with a low degree of severity or inactive dental caries and uncomplicated TDI, were not associated with parents' or guardians' work absenteeism of preschool children. It is concluded that toothache, avulsion, luxation and a low degree of mother's schooling are associated with work absenteeism.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, State University of Paraiba (UEPB), Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Leite
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, State University of Paraiba (UEPB), Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Monalisa Cesarino
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kenio Costa
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Castro
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Saul Martins
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paiva
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, State University of Paraiba (UEPB), Campina Grande, PB, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Flávia
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Granville-Garcia
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D014084:Tooth Avulsion / Q000453:epidemiology; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D014098:Toothache / Q000453:epidemiology; D014937:Work
keywords: Absenteeism; child preschool; dental caries; parents; tooth injuries; work