Occupational Hazards Among Dental Surgeons In Karachi.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of different occupational hazards among dental surgeons in Karachi.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
Amulticenter study conducted at Ameen Diabetic and Dental Hospital, Dental OPD, Karachi Medical and Dental College, and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi, from February to March 2014.


METHODS
Dentists, practicing in different areas of Karachi, were given a self-administered questionnaire. It comprised of a form containing information about the socio-demographic profile of dentists and questionnaires regarding occupational hazards experienced in practice.


RESULTS
Atotal of 130 dentists, involved in clinical practice, were randomly selected. There were 45 (35%) males and 85 (65%) females. The average age was 39 &amp;plusmn;5.76 years. Out of 130 dentists, 93.8% (122/130) had occupational hazard during practice. Cervical back pain was observed in 81.96% dentists followed by knee / elbow joint pain in 53.27%, eye infection in 44.615%, impaired hearing in 40.98%, psychological stress in 41.80% and material allergy was 12.29%.


CONCLUSIONS
Various spinal and joint pains, eye infections, impaired hearing, stress and material allergy represented occupational hazard to 93.8% of the surveyed dentists.
Department of Research and Evaluation, College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP), Karachi.
Nabeel Naeem
NN
Baig
Department of Research, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi.
Sajid Atif
SA
Aleem
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires