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. 2012 Nov 1;17(6):e1034-41.
doi: 10.4317/medoral.17576.

Influence of sociodemographic factors upon pain intensity in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders seen in the primary care setting

Antonio Blanco-Hungría  1 , Alejandro Rodríguez-Torronteras, Antonio Blanco-Aguilera, Lourdes Biedma-Velázquez, Rafael Serrano-Del-Rosal, Rafael Segura-Saint-Gerons, Javier de la Torre-de la Torre, Federico Esparza-Díaz
Affiliations

Influence of sociodemographic factors upon pain intensity in patients with temporomandibular joint disorders seen in the primary care setting

Antonio Blanco-Hungría et al. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. .

Abstract

Objective: A study is made of the influence of gender, educational level, marital status, income, social support, and perceived general and oral health upon pain intensity in a sample of patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD) explored in primary care (AP).

Design: A review was made of 899 patients from Córdoba Healthcare District (Spain) referred to the primary care TMJD Unit by their primary care physician and/or dentist. Of these subjects, 151 failed to meet the inclusion criteria. The remaining 748 subjects were explored according to the corresponding research diagnostic criteria (RDC/TMJD). A bivariate analysis was made the association of pain intensity to the demographic and psychological characteristics of the patients, and to perceived general and oral health, followed by a multivariate linear regression analysis to explain pain intensity as a function of the rest of the variables. The SPSS version 19.0 statistical package was used.

Results: The patient age ranged from 18-86 years, with a mean of 45.8 years (± 15.8), and a female predominance of 5:1. The characteristic pain intensity (CPI) score was almost 15 points higher on average in women than in men (p<0.05). A lower educational level, and separation or divorce, were correlated to an increased intensity of pain. Social support, depression and general and oral health also explained part of pain intensity. The regression model established with these variables accounted for 13.3% of the variability of pain (R2 = 0.133).

Conclusions: Women suffer more intense pain than men. Perceived health partially explains the variability of the CPI score. However, it is empirically seen that the variables gender, educational level and marital status exert an important and independent influence upon pain intensity.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Formula to obtain the pain intensity (CPI).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Differences in CPI score and 95% confidence interval according to patient gender.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Differences in CPI score and 95% confidence interval according to patient marital status (separated / divorced or rest of categories).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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