181129 Is workplace able to be a center for health promotion program?

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Hyun-Duck Kim , Department of preventive and social dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Dong-Hun Han , Department of preventive and social dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Kyung Mi Kim , Department of preventive and social dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Nam Hee Kim , Department of Dental Hygine, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, South Korea
Kwang Hak Bae , Department of preventive and social dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Bo Hyung Jin , Department of preventive and social dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Dai Il Paik , Department of preventive and social dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
Jin Bom Kim , Department of preventive dentistry, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
In Korea, the oral health status of workers went from bad to worse; the prevalence of periodontitis (CPI>1) in workers was over 80% : the prevalence of severe occupational dental erosion (G3-5) in workers grew from 8% (1993) to 11.2% (2003). As a result, the total annual work loss and productivity loss due to oral diseases were increased.

We surveyed the present status and problems of oral health management in workplace, and applyed an oral health promotion program for preventing and managing oral diseases of workers in factories using chemicals.

There was no oral health program in workplaces using chemicals except oral examination. The degree of propulsion and satisfaction for oral health program was low with workers and dentists. The importance of industrial oral health was low estimated. It is evaluated that institutional improvement should change from oral examination to oral health promotion.

About oral health promotion program, the acceptability of workers was high, but that of managers was low. Health professionals recognized a need for the program, but evaluated the practicability low. Administrators evaluated the practicability high. The propulsion of phased institutional improvement and accomplishment of pilot program were reviewed as a real alternative, because it was not accepted as a general program in national industrial health field.

Legal ground about oral health promotion program in industrial safety and health act need to be complemented, and industrial health program must include health promotion program as a policy planning.

Learning Objectives:
The participant will be able to 1. recognize the present status and problems of oral health management in workplace and identify the concept of health promotion. 2. discuss the pilot model of oral health promotion program in workplace. 3. develop a realistic model of oral health promotion program in workplace.

Keywords: Health Promotion, Oral Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I performed a pilot model of oral health promotion program in workplace.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Oral Health Poster Session I
See more of: Oral Health