A study on oral health state of immigrant workers with DMFT-index

외국인 이주 노동자의 구강건강관리 실태 및 우식경험영구치지수

This document is about immigrant worker who use counseling office for human rights in the Daegu Gumin Church. We researched their oral health state so that we can understand their situation and support them properly. General characteristics of study subjects, habits related to oral health, the oral examination and treatment clinic, participated in oral heath education program were studied by designed administered questionaire. And decay, filling(treatment teeth), missing tooth(lost teeth by dental-caries)was counted by oral examination, and calculated DMFT-index. This study was done from the July, 9, 2006 to Aug. 8, 2006. In a total of 289 immigrant worker, 77.9% of them were men and 22.1% of them were women. 55.7% of their salary was from 1,000,000 won to 1,500,000 won and most of them were working for a fiber industry. Many of them are living in korea for more then three years. DMFT index for men was 2.77 and for women was 4.06 so average of DMFT index was 3.06. 46.7% of them said that they are healthy in oral health state. The question for having difficulty using dental clinic in korea, 65.1% of them said "it is difficult". First reason was a communication problem and second was time. Most of them didn't have a oral health education but 85.1% of them said that they are looking forward to attending oral health education. Immigrant worker had better DMFT index then that of korean blue color worker. But still it is quite difficult for them using dental clinic in korea also cost. It is necessary to support them properly that medical insurance system, medical facilities of quality, medical insurance subscriber beside, made by their language, manual for them. At once, medical service improvement a policy is necessary for immigrant worker in korea.