Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year
: 2020  |  Volume : 18  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 35--40

Association of occupational stress and nicotine dependence with oral health status among public transit workers in Bangalore: A cross sectional study


Niharika Benjamin, Umashankar Gangadhariah Kadaluru, Vishakha Rani 
 Department of Public Health Dentistry, M. R. Ambedkar Dental College and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Correspondence Address:
Dr. Umashankar Gangadhariah Kadaluru
Department of Public Health Dentistry, M. R. Ambedkar Dental College and Hospital, 1/36, Cooke Town, Bengaluru - 560 005, Karnataka
India

Background: Public transportation is an example of high-strain occupation and its workers are dealing with immense stress. Occupational stress has been seen to promote tobacco use and this habit is widely present among the transit workers. Both occupational stress and tobacco habit have their adverse effect on general as well as oral health. Aim: This study aims to assess the association of occupational stress and nicotine dependence with oral health status among public transit workers in Bangalore city. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 450 public transit workers in Bangalore. The extent of occupational stress was assessed using 20-item questionnaire. Nicotine dependence was measured using the Modified Fagerstrom Tolerance scale for smoking and smokeless tobacco. Recording of oral mucosal lesion and community periodontal index were done for the assessment of oral health status. Data were analyzed using statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS version 24) using Chi-square test and binary logistic regression (P < 0.05). Results: The results of bivariate and multivariate analysis elicited significant association of periodontal health with gender (P = 0.011), level of nicotine dependence for smoking (P = 0.008) and smokeless tobacco (P = 0.002) and occupational stress (P = 0.035). The oral mucosal lesion was seen to be associated only with level of nicotine dependence for smoking (P = 0.008) and smokeless tobacco (P < 0.001). Conclusion: In the present study, poor oral health status was associated with occupational stress and nicotine dependence. As these factors have individual as well as synergistic effect on oral health, a multirisk approach and workplace interventions to reduce job stress and strategies to promote oral health are the need for status quo.


How to cite this article:
Benjamin N, Kadaluru UG, Rani V. Association of occupational stress and nicotine dependence with oral health status among public transit workers in Bangalore: A cross sectional study.J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent 2020;18:35-40


How to cite this URL:
Benjamin N, Kadaluru UG, Rani V. Association of occupational stress and nicotine dependence with oral health status among public transit workers in Bangalore: A cross sectional study. J Indian Assoc Public Health Dent [serial online] 2020 [cited 2024 Mar 29 ];18:35-40
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