TY - JOUR
T1 - Dental Pain and Worsened Socioeconomic Conditions Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - Matsuyama, Y.
AU - Aida, J.
AU - Takeuchi, K.
AU - Koyama, S.
AU - Tabuchi, T.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI grants (grants 17H03589, 19K10671, 19K10446, 18H03107, 18H03062, 19H03860); the JSPS Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (grant 19K19439); Research Support Program to Apply the Wisdom of the University to Tackle COVID-19 Related Emergency Problems, University of Tsukuba, and Health Labour Sciences Research Grant (grants 19FA1005, 19FG2001, 19FA1012); and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED; grant 2033648). The findings and conclusions of this article are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not represent the official views of the research funders.
Publisher Copyright:
© International & American Associations for Dental Research 2021.
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to economic contraction and significant restrictions on society. The shock to the economy could lead to a deterioration of physical health outcomes, including dental health. The present study investigated the association between worsened socioeconomic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and dental pain in Japan. The mediating effects of psychological distress and oral health–related behaviors were also evaluated. Cross-sectional data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey conducted from August to September 2020 (n = 25,482; age range, 15–79 y) were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the independent associations of household income reduction, work reduction, and job loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic with dental pain within a month. Dental pain was reported by 9.8%. Household income reduction, work reduction, and job loss were independently associated with dental pain after adjusting for confounders (odds ratios: 1.42 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.28−1.57], 1.58 [95% CI, 1.41−1.76], 2.17 [95% CI, 1.64−2.88], respectively). The association related to household income reduction was mediated by psychological distress, postponing dental visits, toothbrushing behavior, and between-meals eating behavior by 21.3% (95% CI, 14.0−31.6), 12.4% (95% CI, 7.2−19.6), 1.5% (95% CI, −0.01 to 4.5), and 9.3% (95% CI, 5.4−15.2), respectively. Our findings showed that worsened socioeconomic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic deteriorated dental health. Policies that protect income and job loss may reduce dental health problems after the pandemic.
AB - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to economic contraction and significant restrictions on society. The shock to the economy could lead to a deterioration of physical health outcomes, including dental health. The present study investigated the association between worsened socioeconomic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and dental pain in Japan. The mediating effects of psychological distress and oral health–related behaviors were also evaluated. Cross-sectional data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey conducted from August to September 2020 (n = 25,482; age range, 15–79 y) were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the independent associations of household income reduction, work reduction, and job loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic with dental pain within a month. Dental pain was reported by 9.8%. Household income reduction, work reduction, and job loss were independently associated with dental pain after adjusting for confounders (odds ratios: 1.42 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.28−1.57], 1.58 [95% CI, 1.41−1.76], 2.17 [95% CI, 1.64−2.88], respectively). The association related to household income reduction was mediated by psychological distress, postponing dental visits, toothbrushing behavior, and between-meals eating behavior by 21.3% (95% CI, 14.0−31.6), 12.4% (95% CI, 7.2−19.6), 1.5% (95% CI, −0.01 to 4.5), and 9.3% (95% CI, 5.4−15.2), respectively. Our findings showed that worsened socioeconomic conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic deteriorated dental health. Policies that protect income and job loss may reduce dental health problems after the pandemic.
KW - dental caries
KW - health services accessibility
KW - periodontal diseases
KW - psychological distress
KW - public health
KW - socioeconomic factors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85103841607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85103841607&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/00220345211005782
DO - 10.1177/00220345211005782
M3 - Article
C2 - 33792422
AN - SCOPUS:85103841607
VL - 100
SP - 591
EP - 598
JO - Journal of Dental Research
JF - Journal of Dental Research
SN - 0022-0345
IS - 6
ER -
