Sigsgaard Anna M, Bolvig Iben, Jensen Katrine D, Altmann Steffen, Hede Børge, Øzhayat Esben B
Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
VIVE Quantitative Methods, The Danish Center for Social Science Research, Denmark.
Scand J Public Health. 2024 Feb;52(1):71-79. doi: 10.1177/14034948221092577. Epub 2022 May 4.
Previous studies indicate that poor oral health may constitute a barrier for labour market success. This study examines whether an oral health promotion intervention has an effect on economic self-support, and proximity to the labour market, among socially disadvantaged unemployed people.
From April-June 2018, we enrolled 273 vulnerable people on welfare benefits into a randomised controlled trial. Participants were allocated to either control (=159), or intervention (=114). Intervention consisted of individual support to improve individuals' oral health by reducing significant barriers to dental care. Ten participants were excluded, leaving 263 participants (intervention =110, control =153) for analyses. A national register was used to assess economic self-support and proximity to the labour market within 1.5 years post-intervention. Items of information on health and socio-demographics were obtained from a questionnaire and from national registers. Logistic and multiple linear regression modelling was performed.
Overall, higher frequencies of economic self-support and proximity to the labour market were found in the intervention group, although no significant results were seen for economic self-support alone. Adjusted models revealed significantly higher odds (odds ratio=1.85, 95% confidence interval 1.08-3.17) among the intervention group of achieving proximity to the labour market after 12 months. After 18 months, the intervention group had on average obtained 5 more weeks (95% confidence interval 0.02-9.99) with proximity to the labour market.
Overall, the oral health promotion intervention had a positive effect on proximity to the labour market in the intervention group, especially within the first year of the study. Our findings suggest that interventions promoting oral health among socially disadvantaged and unemployed groups may contribute to social rehabilitation.
先前的研究表明，口腔健康状况不佳可能成为劳动力市场成功的障碍。本研究调查了口腔健康促进干预措施对社会弱势失业人群的经济自立以及与劳动力市场的接近程度是否有影响。
2018年4月至6月，我们将273名领取福利救济的弱势群体纳入一项随机对照试验。参与者被随机分配到对照组（=159人）或干预组（=114人）。干预措施包括提供个人支持，通过减少获得牙科护理的重大障碍来改善个人口腔健康。10名参与者被排除，最终有263名参与者（干预组=110人，对照组=153人）纳入分析。使用国家登记册评估干预后1.5年内的经济自立情况和与劳动力市场的接近程度。健康和社会人口统计学信息项目通过问卷调查和国家登记册获取。进行了逻辑回归和多元线性回归建模。
总体而言，干预组经济自立和与劳动力市场接近程度的发生率较高，尽管仅经济自立方面未发现显著结果。调整后的模型显示，干预组在12个月后接近劳动力市场的几率显著更高（优势比=1.85，95%置信区间1.08 - 3.17）。18个月后，干预组平均与劳动力市场接近的时间多了5周（95%置信区间0.02 - 9.99）。
总体而言，口腔健康促进干预措施对干预组与劳动力市场的接近程度有积极影响，尤其是在研究的第一年。我们的研究结果表明，在社会弱势和失业群体中促进口腔健康的干预措施可能有助于社会康复。
