Self-reported Occupational Health Problems among Libyan Dentists
Arheiam Arheiam, Mohamed Ingafou
Citation Information :
Arheiam A, Ingafou M. Self-reported Occupational Health Problems among Libyan Dentists. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015; 16 (1):31-35.
To investigate the prevalence of the most common occupation-related health problems as well as factors associated with their incidence among dental practitioners.
Materials and methods
A cross-sectional, questionnairebased survey of Libyan dental practitioners. Participants provided information regarding their experience of occupationally related problems they encountered over the past 12 months which included inquiries about musculoskeletal pain, percutaneous injuries, allergy, eye and sight problems, and hearing problems.
Results
Musculoskeletal problems were the most frequently reported (48.2%), followed by percutaneous injuries (35%), eye problems (22%), allergy (11%) and hearing problems (7.6%). Musculoskeletal problems were significantly higher among dentists who work in private sector, full timer as well as those who prefer to work in a sitting position (p = 0.021, 0.027 and 0.008, respectively). Practitioners with less than 5 years in service reported significantly higher percentage of percutaneous injuries (p = 0.027) than their senior counterparts, whereas practitioners who spent more than 10 years in service were more likely to suffer from visual disturbances (p = 0.033).
Conclusion
The findings of this study indicate that musculoskeletal problems and percutaneous injuries are the most commonly reported occupational health problems among dentists, whereas allergic reactions and hearing problems are the least reported ones.
Clinical significance
Dentists should use alternate working positions to minimise musculoskeletal problems and adopt more effective strategies to prevent percutaneous injuries particularly among novices.
How to cite this article
Arheiam A, Ingafou M. Self-reported Occupational Health Problems among Libyan Dentists. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(1):31-35.
Ch. 3. Physical and chemical dangers in dentistry. Occupational Hazards to Dental Staff 1990. p. 55-98.
Occupational health problems in modern dentistry: a review. Industrial Health 2007;45(5):611-621.
Musculoskeletal disorders and symptom severity among Australian dental hygienists. BMC Research Notes 2013;6(1):250.
Musculoskeletal disorders selfreported by dentists in Queensland, Australia. Aust Dent J 2006;51(4):324-327.
Musculoskeletal disorders among dentists and variation in dental work. Applied Ergonomics 1998;29(2):119-125.
Occupational health problems of dentists in southern Thailand. Int Dent J 2000;50(1):36-40.
Musculoskeletal disorders in shipyard industry: prevalence, health care use, and absenteeism. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2006;7(1):88.
Occupational health problems of dentists in the United Arab Emirates. Int Dent J 2012;62(1):52-56.
Occupational injuries to dental personnel. J Dent 1990;18(5):258-262.
World Health Statistics 2013. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2013.
Back and neck problems among dentists and dental auxiliaries. J Contemp Dent Pract 2001;2(3):17-30.
Needlestick and sharp instrument injuries among dentists in Montes Claros, Brazil. Arquivos em Odontologia 2010;46(4):127-135.
Infection control among dentists in private practice in Durban, Kwazulu-Natal. J Dent Res 2001;80(3):1364.
A pilot survey on compliance with recommended infection control procedures in ninety dental practices in New Zealand. Int Dent J 1995;45(5):279.
Cervical pain and discomfort among dentists. Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects. Part 1. A survey of pain and discomfort. Swedish Dent J 1989;14(2):71-80.
Musculoskeletal symptoms among dentists in relation to work posture. Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation 2000;15(3):153-158.
The relationship between work history, work environment and low-back pain in men. Spine 1984;9(4):395-399.
Physical workload in neck, shoulders and wrists/hands in dental hygienists during a work-day. Applied Ergonomics 2012;43:803-811.
Poor posture subjects a worker's body to muscle imbalance, nerve compression. Occupational Health and Safety (Waco, Tex) 1994;63(4):38-40.
Occupational exposure to sharp injuries among medical and dental house officers in Nigeria. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2013;26(9):283-290.
Prevalence of hand dermatoses related to latex exposure amongst dentists in Queensland, Australia. Int Dent J 2006;56(2):154-158.
Patient non-compliance with paper diaries. BMJ 2002;324(3774):1193-1194.
Perceived barriers to the provision of preventive care among Iranian dentists. Oral Health and Preventive Dentistry 2009;7(4):339.