Alghanem Jamil, Haque Salsabil, Ababneh Khansa, Fakhoury Hana M A, Zangiabadi Safoura, Tamim Hala
College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Preventive Dental Science, College of Dentistry, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 Nov 1;4(11):e0003824. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003824. eCollection 2024.
While inadequate oral health has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes, there is limited understanding of such implications among refugees who bear a disproportionate burden of oral health disparities. This study aims to examine the effect of self-rated oral health on depression, anxiety, and stress among Syrian refugee parents resettled in Ontario. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 540 Syrian refugee parents who resided in Ontario for an average of 4 years and had at least one child under 18 years old were interviewed between March 2021 and March 2022. Information about self-rated oral health was gathered based on the question "In general, how would you rate the health of your teeth and mouth". Responses ranged from 1 representing "excellent" and 5 representing "very poor". The mean score (SD) of self-rated oral health was 3.2 (1.2). Mental health outcomes of depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the independent relationship between self-rated oral health and depression, anxiety, and stress, adjusting for other variables including, sociodemographic-, migration-, and health-related factors. Among participants, 6.3% rated their oral health as excellent, 26.9% as good, 23.1% as fair, 24.8% as poor, and 18.7% as very poor. Results of the multiple linear regression analyses indicated that poorer self-rated oral health was significantly associated with higher levels of depression (Adjβ = 0.98; p = 0.002; 95% CI = 0.38-1.59), anxiety (Adjβ = 1.03; p< 0.001; 95% CI = 0.54-1.52), and stress (Adjβ = 1.25; p< 0.001; 95% CI = 0.61-1.88). Further efforts and targeted interventions are needed to address the unmet oral health needs of Syrian refugees to improve mental health outcomes within this vulnerable population.
虽然口腔健康状况不佳与不良心理健康结果有关，但在承受着不成比例的口腔健康差异负担的难民中，对这种影响的了解有限。本研究旨在调查自评口腔健康对定居安大略省的叙利亚难民父母的抑郁、焦虑和压力的影响。在这项横断面研究中，2021年3月至2022年3月期间，共采访了540名平均在安大略省居住4年且至少有一名18岁以下子女的叙利亚难民父母。关于自评口腔健康的信息是基于“总体而言，您如何评价您的牙齿和口腔健康”这一问题收集的。回答范围从代表“优秀”的1到代表“非常差”的5。自评口腔健康的平均得分（标准差）为3.2（1.2）。使用抑郁焦虑压力量表（DASS-21）测量抑郁、焦虑和压力的心理健康结果。进行了多元线性回归分析，以评估自评口腔健康与抑郁、焦虑和压力之间的独立关系，并对包括社会人口统计学、移民和健康相关因素在内的其他变量进行了调整。在参与者中，6.3%将他们的口腔健康评为优秀，26.9%评为良好，23.1%评为中等，24.8%评为差，18.7%评为非常差。多元线性回归分析结果表明，自评口腔健康状况越差，抑郁水平越高（调整后β=0.98；p=0.002；95%置信区间=0.38-1.59）、焦虑水平越高（调整后β=1.03；p<0.001；95%置信区间=0.54-1.52）和压力水平越高（调整后β=1.25；p<0.001；95%置信区间=0.61-1.88）。需要进一步努力和有针对性的干预措施来满足叙利亚难民未得到满足的口腔健康需求，以改善这一弱势群体的心理健康结果。
