| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 環境與職業衛生研究所 === 96 === Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of culinary practicum on dental caries (DMFT) and on blood lead levels in college students.
Methods: A two-year follow-up study was designed to collect longitudinal data from September 2004 to September 2006. The study subjects consisted of 376 freshmen enrolled in school year 2004 in one culinary college and in one medical university both locating in southern Taiwan area. The information included taking culinary practicum and/or adjusting liquor curriculum or not, dental caries, and blood lead levels. During the follow-up period, a total of 247 students completed the two-wave surveys, and then was the final analytical unit in this study.
Results: No significant differences existed in the mean values of DMFT between students with culinary practicum and those without in each study-year period, although the values in the former were slightly higher than in the latter. Nevertheless, significant differences existed in the mean values of PbB between the students with the practicum and those without in both study periods (in year 2004: 3.06±0.83μg/dl vs. 2.66±0.91μg/dl; p<0.001, and in year 2006: 2.88±0.94μg/dl vs. 2.61±0.88μg/dl; p=0.02). At the baseline data of year 2004, the mean value of DMFT in students with adjusting liquor curriculum was higher than those without (5.63±3.72 vs. 4.62±3.56; p=0.032), and at the follow-up data of year 2006, the comparison result between the two student groups were similar (6.96±4.09 vs.5.64±3.90; p=0.011). The similar differential patterns were found for the mean values of PbB (in year 2004: 2.98±0.92μg/dl vs. 2.74±0.86μg/dl; p=0.039, and in year 2006: 2.93±1.00μg/dl vs. 2.58±0.82μg/dl; p=0.003). After adjusting the baseline value of dental caries, comparing to students without both culinary practicum and adjusting liquor curriculum, students with the both curriculum on average had 0.56 more dental caries (p=0.034). Besides, after adjusting the baseline PbB values, comparing to students without both curriculum, students with both curriculum, and students with adjusting liquor but without culinary practicum curriculum, on average, had 0.30μg/dl (p=0.048) and 0.36μg/dl (p=0.033) increase in PbB, respectively. A significant relationship of PbB and dental caries was also found, where 1μg/dl increase in PbB would increase 0.26 DMFT (p=0.033).
Conclusions: With the confounding factors taken into account, the changes of DMFT and blood lead levels in students during the study period indicated that culinary practicum exposure would increase the risk for having dental caries, and the adjusting liquor exposure would significantly raise the blood lead levels. As we found a positive relationship between dental caries and PbB; therefore, the efforts on delivering the occupational health education programs should convey more messages related to the potential hazardous health effects on this issue for people involved in the culinary field.
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