Evaluation on the psychosocial status of patients with fluorosis

Objectives: Analyze the effects of fluorosis on the patients with fluorosis evaluated by the surrounding people. Methods: Inhabitants of fluorosis epidemic areas in Xintai city of Hebei Province were sampled randomly, including 12-year-old group (n=61), 15-year-old group (n=55) and 35-44 years old group (n=62). The samples were examined using Dean's Index and two of their surrounding people were asked to complete a questionnaire including six five-point questions, respectively. They were parents and teachers of students and husbands/wives and neighbors of adults. Result: Statistical difference of the evaluation scores of parents, which included "health of teeth", "satisfaction of teeth", and "perceived well-being", could be found when comparing severe group (DI=3-4) with moderate group (DI=1-2) or control group(DI=0). When comparing the evaluation on the different degree of fluorosis patients, significant difference could be found among the evaluation of the neighbors on the "health of teeth" (P=0.029) in adults group, while in the students groups, significant difference existed among the evaluation of the teachers on the "health of teeth" (P=0.026) and "subjective well-being" (P=0.010). According to the results of "Multivariate Liner Regression Analysis", positive relationship between the evaluation of parents and the degree of fluorosis could be found, while the evaluation of teachers/neighbors was only related to their demographic data, such as incoming level, education level and age et al. Conclusions: The influence of fluorosis evaluated by parents/husbands/wives and teachers/neighbors was only found in severe group (DI=3-4) and the affects were appeared in the aspect of "health of teeth", "perceived well-being" and "satisfaction of teeth". Evaluation of the patients' parents/husbands/wives was significantly associated with the degree of fluorosis, while the evaluation of their teachers/neighbors was only related to the demographic data of the evaluators.