ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the attitude of the public to the psychosocial effects of fluorosis through investigating the public in different areas.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty typical fluorosis photos were selected and evaluated by the public in Xingtai, Beijing and Guangzhou, which included 101 dentists, 118 dental students, 103 college students in non-dental schools, 102 clerks and 92 leaders. Each evaluator was required to answer seven five-point questions according to each photo.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean of the public evaluation was going up with the increase of Dean's Index (DI) score, ranging from 2.21 to 4.74, meanwhile, the prevalence of reporting that fluorosis would affect their psychosocial status also ascended. Less than 25% people reported that very mild fluorosis (DI < or = 1) would affect the psychosocial status of patients, and mild fluorosis (DI = 2) would affect 25% - 56%, while the prevalence would increase to 48% - 97% in severe fluorosis group (DI > or = 3). "Bivariate Correlation Analysis" showed that significant correlation existed in the evaluation of the public and the degree of fluorosis. The scores of dentists were significantly lower than those of dental students, college students in non-dental schools and clerks. The evaluation scores of the public in Xingtai were generally higher than those in Beijing and Guangzhou.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Mild or less fluorosis could lead to little psychosocial effects.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Fluorosis, Dental , Psychology , Psychology, SocialABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the psychosocial effect of fluorosis on patients in fluorosis epidemic areas.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Multistage, stratified, clustered and random sampling method was used in this survey. Totally 416 inhabitants of 12, 15 and 35-44 years of age from rural fluorosis epidemic areas in Hebei province were selected. Dental fluorosis was classified by Dean's index (DI). A total of 178 patients with different types of fluorosis were involved in a psychosocial questionnaire investigation which included six five-point subscales, including attitude to teeth, subjective well-being, life satisfaction, interpersonal or social anxiety, effect of self-esteem, impact on behavior.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fluorosis prevalence in fluorosis epidemic areas of Xingtai in Hebei province was 71.20%, and significant difference existed among three age groups (Pearson Chi-square value = 167.51, P < 0.01). With the increase of DI score, the average value of subscale "attitude to teeth" rising, ranging from 2.58 to 3.51, and value of "subjective well-being" was also increasing, ranging from 2.35 to 2.9. Statistical difference of subscale average value was found only in these two subscales ("attitude to teeth": F = 4.787, P < 0.01; "subjective well-being": F = 2.538, P < 0.05). "Attitude to teeth" was significantly different between control group and moderate group (F = 0.52, P < 0.01) and between control group and severe group (F = 0.72, P < 0.01). While significant difference of "subjective well-being" could only be found between control group and severe group (F = 0.56, P < 0.01). According to the bivariate correlation analysis, strong correlation could be found between the degree of fluorosis and the average value of sub-scales.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The psychosocial impact of fluorosis on patients in fluorosis epidemic areas mainly appeared in two aspects, i.e. attitude to teeth and the perception of well-being, especially in severe group.</p>